Missed chances second opportunity
by hecalledmecarrots
Summary: Some things never change AU
1. Chapter 1

**She says she's going to slow down but evidently my circumstances at the moment are not marring my ability to think up new scenarios for these two. This is a little different. I don't know how clear this is so I'll quickly explain this takes place five years after Anne of the Island what should be two years into their marriage.**

 **But something went a little wrong. Gilbert didn't get sick he was tired at convocation but he visited home for two weeks then went back out and worked at the paper for the rest of the summer. Phil never sent her letter to Gil, urging him to 'try again'. He believed Anne had accepted Roy. Anne assumed her life without him. Hopefully the rest will be explained in the story for you... sooner or later...**

Gilbert was tired. It was the end of his mandatory shift in the walk in clinic, he didn't mind them, not at all, in fact secretly he ENJOYED this more then surgery. In surgery he got the crème de le crème, the elite the chosen few who were deemed important enough by the hospital board to need surgery. Here he got to meet the REAL people of Kingsport and really serve his community, secretly he wished it was more like this, but being on the fast track to success had its price, this was one of them. He only got to see the general public once a week for his mandatory shift. He took a sigh as he heard the door knock, last patient of the night, then he would go home and sleep for at least 24 hours, it wasn't even late about 6pm but it felt like two in the morning he'd been going for hours. That's all he ever wanted to do with his time off... sleep.

"Come in." He called without looking up from the last patients file as he finished the notes, his back to the door he only heard the door clink open as his next patient arrived. "just sit on the bed I'll be right with you." He said politely.

He didn't hear the patient move which he thought was odd, then he heard a soft sweet voice, one he hasn't heard properly in seven years. He froze for a moment at it knowing it was her but was afraid his heart would leap out his chest if he turned too quickly but a one syllable three lettered version of his name was all that was needed for him to know who it was behind him.

"Gil." She said softly.

He turned and looked at her. His heart racing as the familiar red hair blazed like the sun the grey green eyes like ice and fire all at once. She looked stunning! Really really beautiful! 'watch your thoughts Blythe' he reminded himself. 'She's a married women'

"Anne?" he questioned in disbelief. "What in heck are you doing here?" he asked her 'surely the Gardner's of Kingsport have their own doctor to attend to Anne's every need.'

"Oh, I think I've sprained my arm," she replied.

"Arm?" he repeated dumbly. His mind caught up with him. "Right of course your arm!" He sprang out of his seat as he did he knocked over his coffee cup "oh dang!" He whispered whipping out the closest disposal towel he could. "I'm sure this is speaking volumes of what kind of doctor I am, I swear I'm competent." He said cleaning up the mess trying his best as well to clean the now coffee stain off his white shirt and doctors coat. Less then a minute in the same room as Anne had sent him to be a quivering mess!

Anne laughed sweetly. "It's alright, you're probably tired, I always knew you'd make a fantastic doctor Gil." She held her file in her hand, "The nurse said to give this to you. "She said handing him the file.

He looked up and to her again. His mouth was ajar for a moment 'she knew I would make a fantastic doctor did she?' he thought then he smiled. "Well if you still trust me hop up." He said pointing her at the bed. She smiled at him then went over to the bed sitting on it gently. He pulled over his chair placing himself in front of her not looking at her medical history he put the file to one side, he could look at that later. "Right let's look at that arm." He asked her. Holding out his own hands cupped ready. She gave him her arm where he gently started his examination. "How did it happen?" he asked her.

"Well I was carrying a box down some stairs and I tripped over my dress the box flew out of my hands and I tumbled forward but my arm went out trying to stop me, I'm afraid I fell on it full force." She told him. She felt her eyes flutter shut, Gilbert's touch was so light and gentle it was almost as if he was massaging her arm not examining it. She felt her heart rate increase slightly. 'What is he doing to me?' She thought.

"Oh I've got it." He said looking at her concerned. "I'm going to gradually increase how hard I'm pressing I want you to tell me when it starts to hurt." He told her.

Anne nodded, within seconds she involuntary whispered "ow!"

"That's more than a sprain Anne that's broken." He told her.

"Oh no! Really?" she asked quietly. "Well that will teach me for carrying too much at once."

"It alright I can have it casted up for you in a jiffy." He told her. "Come on up with me to surgery upstairs I have the supplies needed up there I'll do it for you."

"Oh alright." She said confused, she assumed he would be casting her off to another doctor, "Sorry did you say surgery?" she asked him.

"Yes I'm one of the surgeons here at the hospital." He said picking up the file.

Anne looked at him impressed." Well Gilbert Blythe I knew how well you would do! I'm so proud! So why are you down here?"

"Hospital policy we all have to do walk in clinic once a week." He said opening the door for her letting her through first. She stood in the hallway at first waiting for him to lead the way he gently led her down the corridor opening her file for the first time.

"End of a shift Doctor Blythe?" one of the nurses said to him.

"Yes, but I'm just taking..." He noticed the name filled in wasn't Mrs Anne Gardner but there on black and white "Miss Shirley?" he questioned looking down at the name again as if it was going to magically change to Gardner any second.

"Doctor Blythe?" the nurse said again looking at him.

He quickly snapped out of it addressing the nurse again, "Sorry yes, I'm taking Miss Shirley up to surgery, just a broken arm I can attend to it myself." He told her.

"If you're sure doctor." She said looking concerned. "You've not stopped in 72 hours." She reprimanded him.

"Anne's an old friend." He informed her. "I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it right." He said with a smile to the nurse. Anne couldn't help but notice the nurse now blushed at his smile. "Come on" he whispered to Anne "We'll use the elevator the stairs might irritate that arm." He subconsciously held her by the base of her back as they walked towards the elevators something which made butterflies flutter in Anne's stomach. They stepped in and the doors closed Gilbert pressing the key for the floor his office was on. He glanced towards her left hand. There was no ring there? He looked away quickly his brow furrowed trying to work out the puzzle. Anne filed herself still under her maiden name and had no ring to show for what now must be a lengthy engagement of five years! He doubted if Anne had consented to be his wife all those years ago he would have been able to wait five days before buying her a ring to slip onto her finger! Gardner had all the riches in the world surely he would have bought the trinket for his betrothed? And what was the great delay in getting married? Alright so if Anne had said yes when he asked theirs would have been at least as equally as long, but the cause would have been their educations his medical school her teaching for a few years. If he had been in the position after being engaged to Anne, Gilbert doubted he was last out half a dozen months without bringing himself to his knees and begging her to marry him right then? There wasn't any such obstacle in Gardner's way he had money and advantage in life where he could pay for a wedding at the snap of the fingers. So why did she bring herself here as 'Miss Anne Shirley' and not ' Mrs Anne Gardner' and again his thoughts returned, the Gardner's would have a family doctor who would make a home visit, what on earth was she doing coming to a walk in clinic?

"Penny for your thoughts." Anne said looking at him.

This snapped Gilbert out of his thoughts "hm?" he sounded then shook his head. "Sorry long day I just need another coffee." He told her.

" I never had you down as a coffee drinker Gilbert, in fact you used to take your tea without even sugar and a one second milk pour?" Anne questioned with a mock at the one second milk pour, he was always so specific about it.

Gilbert looked to her a little surprised. 'She remembers how I take my tea?' he wondered perplexed, surely she had more important things to remember then his choice in hot beverage. He managed to form together his sentence " it's a way of life in the hospital I'm afraid, 72 hours without any sleep coffee is essential to keeping awake." He said with a smile as the elevator doors slid open.

" you really haven't stopped in 72 hours? Gil I thought she was kidding!" she exclaimed as they started to walk again. Anne stopped suddenly in the corridor. "I can't ask you to do this for me with your free time you should be resting."

Gilbert chuckled slightly and involuntarily brought his hand to her waist, he felt her jump as he did, his own heart was racing in his chest as he whispered gently " you didn't ask I offered. Come now, let's get that arm fixed."

He entered an office and found one of the cleaners in there. "Sorry Doctor Blythe I want expecting you back tonight." The girl blushed, "I thought it safe to come and clean."

"It should have been truth be told." He did to her. "I wasn't planning I'm coming back up, please don't let me interrupt your work." He said kindly.

"No not at all Doctor Blythe, would you like me to make you a coffee?" she questioned him.

Gilbert gave a smile. "You angel, if you wouldn't mind?"

"As soon as I finish here." The cleaner said.

"Oh em, Emily this is a friend of mine Anne. By chance walked into the clinic downstairs on my shift, she has a broken arm, would you mind keeping her company while I go to the supply closest?" he asked her.

" of course Doctor Blythe." She replied.

"I'll be right back." Gilbert told Anne, leaving the room. Anne looked on the walls in the office. There it was, his certification for a doctor, framed in his office. 1st in his class, she smiled proudly, that was hardly a surprise, Gilbert Blythe the never failing scholar top of his class! 'This isn't just any office, this, this is HIS office.' There were several other certificates in frames, none of which meant an awful lot to Anne. But she could see the progress he made on the walls of his office. She moved to his desk to find a picture of his parents on his desk. No other pictures. 'So he's still single then?' she found THAT hard to believe! Gilbert should have married years ago! Surely there would be a soon to be Mrs Blythe?

"He's very clever that friend of yours you know?" Emily asked her.

"Yes I do know it." Anne said softly. "He always was." She said with a kind smile.

"He won't tell you but he's the best surgeon this hospital has and everyone knows it, ALL the people ASK for him to attend in surgeries because they know the job will be done right he's going to be Consultant surgeon next year, well so they say he is…" She paused. " …and the nicest too, all the other doctors go round like they have an air of authority over everyone else but not Doctor Blythe, treats everyone as equals even us cleaning staff."

"Why wouldn't he?" Anne asked confused.

Emily smiled. "You're made from the same stuff as him I can tell. As I said the other Doctors will turn their noses up at everyone, Doctor Blythe is different. He's kind to everyone who is in the same room as him I don't feel like a cleaner I feel like his equal."

"But you are his equal." Anne said as matter of fact.

He came back in and smiled at the pair.

"I'll get you that coffee Doctor Blythe." Emily said walking past.

"Thank you Emily." He called after her. He came over to his desk and opened a cabinet behind it, where Anne saw there were several clean shirts, ties and doctors coats. Gilbert smiled at Anne's face. "Occupational hazard, I learnt very quickly to have a change of clothing, worse things have been on these shirts then coffee." He said with a chuckle. "You don't mind if I change in front of you do you?" he asked her.

"No, not at all." Anne said moving to the other side of the room to give him what little privacy she could. He took off his doctors coat waist jacket and let down his suspenders. He unbuttoned and untucked his shirt with a couple of buttons undone he brought the shirt over his head. Anne blushed at the sight of his vest and his flat and strong stomach momentarily flashing. His strong muscular arms visible. Anne could see under the vest was a well formed torso. Despite her best efforts Anne simply couldn't look away! 'What was I thinking rejecting HIM?!' she thought in the moment then quickly repented of such a thought as the new shirt replaced the old one.

He buttoned up his shirt as he was he said "You don't mind do you if I don't bother with a tie, and waistcoat? It seems silly to put it on now."

"No, I don't mind at all. You've looked too much like a doctor since I walked in, it'd be nice just to see Gil under all those clothes." She paused at what she said blushing profusely. She looked to see if Gilbert had noticed, if he had he showed no outward acknowledgement of it as he pulled back up his suspenders. And putting a doctors jacket on.

"Are you ready Anne?" He asked her. She nodded he opened a second door in his office which lead to a room with a bed in it which looked more like somewhere to put a cast on. "Right, I can give you something to put you to sleep if you would like?"

"Will it hurt?" She asked him.

"When I reset the bone it will but otherwise it's just putting on the cast which doesn't hurt at all." He told her gently.

"And how long will it take?" she asked

"Less than an hour because the plaster dries really quickly." He told her.

"Oh don't bother putting me to sleep then, I have a high pain threshold anyway." She said to him.

"Alright, can you take off your shirt, I can give you a gown if you like? To cover your…" he paused for a moment thinking of what to call it. "underwear." He said quietly.

"Oh, I think I'll need some help with the buttons." She said realising the broken arm was her dominate hand again.

"Do you mind?" He asked her before reaching for the buttons.

She looked at him wide eyed. Gilbert wanted to take her clothes off? She could feel herself swoon! "No of course not.." She trailed remembering her place. "Doctor Blythe." She said with her best teasing smile.

He chuckled and started to unbutton her shirt "Don't you start calling me that, its like I have no first name round here. Gil, my name is Gil." He said as if trying to convince himself as well. He gently took her shirt off replacing it with the hospital gown avoiding looking the best he could. He tied it for her. "There all done. Lie back and try to relax." She told her gently.

"I saw the picture of your parents on your desk, that's awfully sweet Gil, do you get to see them much?" she asked him. Truth be told she couldn't remember anyone ever mentioning Gilbert back home on the Island.

He heard him pause and sigh heavily. "No. Not a lot." He said sadly. He cleared his throat. "Do you make it back to the Island much? I suppose being a socialite keeps you busy." He said absently.

"Pardon?" Anne asked him, did she hear him right, but there was a knock at the door.

"Sorry Doctor Blythe your coffee." Emily said opening the door.

Gilbert smiled and moved for the coffee. "Never apologise for bringing me coffee, thank you Emily." He said taking a sip.

"I'll leave you to it. Nice to meet you Anne." She smiled.

"Where was I?" He said after a satisfying sigh of contentment at the hot coffee. "Yes, I'm going to set your arm Anne are you ready?" He asked.

She nodded and tried to brace herself.

He smiled "Try not to think about it Anne, anticipation makes it worse. Tell you what, I'll do it in the next 30 seconds but I won't tell you when, we can still talk that way."

"Alright." She agreed.

"So have you made it back to the Island?" he asked her again. He seemed in his own world as he described her duties as socialite of Kingsport he didn't look directly at her face, if he had he would have seen the look of confusion on her face. "I don't suppose being the future Mrs Roy Gardner gives you much of a chance to get back to the island." He finished snapping the bone back to set.

"Ow!" She shouted "Gil that hurt!" she looked at him accusingly sitting up a little.

"I did say it would." He blushed. "Sorry, this bit is easier I promise." He said starting on the cast.

She lay back down pondering his words. No one had told Gilbert she rejected Roy Gardner five years ago. How could no one have told Gilbert? Her heart pounded in her chest. "I refused him." She said quietly.

She felt Gilbert pause for a moment before he said "what?" in tones of amazement before he continued his work.

"Well he proposed at convocation but I couldn't say yes." She told him.

"Oh?" Gilbert asked still with amazement in his voice.

"I didn't love him." Anne said softly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay I'm surprised no one told you back home." She said to him half asking.

"Well as I said I don't make it back to the Island all that often."

"No, I can't remember the last time someone said you were in Avonlea. When WAS the last time you went home?" she asked him.

"The Summer of Convocation." He said to her. "I went back for two weeks, I was so dreadfully tired my mother was convinced I was coming down with something but I was fine and the paper wanted me to go out and do some work, I knew the town would be alight with congratulations of your engagement so I came back."

"Gil, that's was FIVE years ago? You've not gone back for Christmas or the summer at all?" She said aghast.

"I had to work my way through medical school." He said honestly. "My ma and pa had already sacrificed too much for me. I couldn't leave them penniless. So the first summer I worked at the paper again, the second summer I worked on the railroad, then as soon as I finished medical school I was offered a position here but they wanted me to start immediately, so I set up here. Holidays are always the busiest times in hospitals I never took vacations." He told her honestly.

"But…" her mind reeled. She had always known Gilbert to be a hard worker but this was something else. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Too many memories I guess. I just needed to get on with things." Dare not saying the memories were of her. Every nook every corner every secret hiding place was his and Anne's and he was heartbroken she was married to Gardner.

"But why didn't anyone tell you I wasn't marrying Roy?" She asked confused.

She looked to Gilbert who turned a shade of pink. "Actually I had a strict 'no talking about Anne' clause with everyone."

Anne felt tears in her eyes, "But why?" she whispered.

"I wasn't over you when I heard Gardner was going to propose to you, truth be told I was heartbroken, so I avoided the subject of 'Anne' in the hope the pain would go away." He told her quietly. He paused before asking "So if you didn't marry Gardner, is there anyone else?" He asked her.

Anne smiled briefly. "No, I swore myself off men." She laughed. "Four marriage proposal each as horrible as the next for various reasons, I figured I was meant to be an old maid and teach." She paused for a moment. "I was Principle over in Summerside for three years, then was offered Principle ship here in Kingsport in an all-girls school. I couldn't refuse it really. It was quite the honour to be asked. So I've been here in Kingsport the last two years, I'm surprised we never bumped into each other."

"It wasn't very likely, my apartment isn't far from here it's not likely I would have ran into you."

Anne paused before she asked "I noticed there wasn't any other pictures on your desk. There's no soon to be Mrs Blythe then?" She asked him.

"No." he admitted quietly, then in a reverent whisper she heard him say "There was never anyone else."

Anne felt as though her whole body was on fire! Gil! Her Gil! Only ever wanted her! If she wasn't already lying down she could have sworn she was swooning. 'What is the matter with me?' she thought 'Gilbert has never had this effect on me before, what's going on?'

There was silence as he continued his work. Both their minds were reeling with the last half an hour revelations.

"There all done. The plaster should be dry within the next half hour."

"Can I sit up?" she asked him.

"Here let me help." He offered gently. He brought her up. "So this injury?" he asked,

"Was at school." She smiled looking into his hazel eyes. "I've missed you Gil." She whispered.

He saw the side of his mouth raise to a small close mouthed smile. "I've missed you Anne." He said putting his hand on top of her free hand.

Her stomach fluttered at his lovely gentle touch. He quickly moved his hand away as if it had been caught in a fire she looked to his face. She could tell from past experiences he was trying to hide a blush. For the first time it didn't make her uncomfortable. No not even a little, she thought it was adorable.

"How about I take you for something to eat?" He offered as a friend best he could. "I can take you to any fancy restaurant you like?"

Anne's face wrinkled in a way Gilbert recognised as distaste. He laughed lightly for her. "Roy took me to too many of those 'fancy restaurants' I never liked any of them, the food was too rich."

He smiled "But you aren't saying no to the invitation just the fancy restaurants, so somewhere a bit less formal maybe?" he asked. She smiled at his analysis and smiled nodding. His face lit with an idea. "I have the perfect place."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Thank you for all the lovely reviews on this one, its fun to write something a little different but I want your opinion on something... I think its obvious because its Anne and Gilbert that they'll end up together my question to you is, should they elope before they go back to the Island and go back husband and wife OR should they remain engaged so that people get to see them get married? I can't make up my mind how that bit should happen...**

 **Oh the Emily reference, I suppose it was a reference to Emily but it wasn't conscious at the time, it was in the back of my mind when I picked the name.**

* * *

"…And so that is how it ended up that everyone in Summerside brought Pumpkin Preserve to me when I came visiting." She finished her story as Gilbert was laughing in delight. "I STILL to this day can't bear to LOOK at a jar." She said with a giggle in return for his laughter.

"Oh Anne what a pickle!" He laughed "Only you could manage it."

"I was simply being polite! They all had hated me so much I thought it would help…I didn't think…" she stopped at his inability to stop laughing. "Well at least I've given you a good giggle." She laughed with him.

"I don't remember the last time I had such a laugh." He said calming down as the food was presented. "Ah Emmanuel thank you." Gilbert said.

"Ah! Anything for you and my Strawberry, Do you need anything else?" he asked.

"No thank you, everything is perfect." He said looking at Anne.

He was half thankful Anne was looking away in that moment but half wished she did look.

"Well while you were dining with the elite of Summerside…" he said "I was a lowly first year med student."

"Come now, did the Cooper Prize winner not bring some prestige with it?" Anne asked as she started to eat.

Gilbert's bottom lip protruded and he shrugged "When it suited them." As he took a cut out a piece of pizza. "Parties and academic nights I was rolled out, the rest of the time I had to knuckle down to work. The Doctors didn't make it easy for us first years, like a wall was up until you got through the baptism of fire of the second year."

"I hope you didn't work TOO hard Gilbert?" She reprimanded him. He looked up looking guilty. "Gilbert?"

"Alright alright, well I tried to be more balanced with my work after senior year when I went home for those two weeks I WAS worried I'd contracted Typhoid from the hospital for a few days, I was so glad after my respite I felt better, well I started taking care of myself a little better, I went to the gym and made sure I ate a bit more healthier then I had been, I soon got back to my full strength."

Anne could feel her blush rise again 'yes I noticed' she thought to herself. "Good, I was afraid you weren't taking care of yourself final year, I'm glad you got yourself back on track."

He paused in his eating. "You were? You never said?" He said confused.

"We hadn't really talked since…" She paused not wanting to say it. "By the time final year came round it felt like…" She looked down at her knees. She took a sigh, "Thank you, by the way for the flowers at convocation."

Gilbert smiled. "I was so proud when you held them at convocation I was sure you wouldn't, I was positive Gardner would have got you something more expensive and grand."

"So why did you send them?" She asked him.

"I promised you I would." He said. "And I'm nothing if I'm not a man of my word." He paused in thought before continuing "If the flowers meant that much to you, why did you refuse to dance with me that night?" He said as he reached for his drink.

Anne blushed at his question. "Oh." She sounded before she started. "I heard you were proposing the Christine that evening." That seemed too much for Gilbert his drink came spraying out of his mouth as he started to half choke half laugh. "Gilbert Blythe!" She reprimanded him.

"Sorry, sorry, but Christine? Christine Stuart?" clearing what he could of the water.

"Well yes, Christine Stuart, what other Christine hung off your arm continuously for two years? Blushing and laughing and falling in love?" Anne asked him shocked at his reaction.

"I was never going to ask Christine to marry me, her fiancé… well now husband might have had a few select words to say if I did!" he said with a chuckle.

Anne looked in shock. "You mean she was engaged?!"

"Yes of course she was!" He said as if it should have been obvious.

"But I thought…" she trailed confused. "But the campus was alight with the gossip of…"

"I thought you wouldn't heed to such pointless rumours, I thought you knew…" He looked to his lap blushing. Again Anne noticed her reaction to his blush didn't bother her but she found the pinkness of his cheek so endearing.

"I was jealous." She admitted quietly looking down to avoid eye contact.

"Really?" He asked looking at her in amazement.

"I mean I didn't know it at the time I was and I wouldn't have known if you told me, but there's been a lot I figured out in five years since and I figured out… that maybe I was jealous you loved Christine. I mean she was beautiful with dark tresses and starry eyes, everything I ever wanted to be, I couldn't have drawn a girl I was more jealous of, until I drew her next to you." She said shamefully.

Gilbert looked at her in amazement. "I didn't think of that." He said quietly. "I never spent time with her to make you jealous. I didn't think you COULD get jealous truth be told, I thought you were so into Gardner... well nothing else really mattered." He paused "Christine was a nice girl but hardly my type, I never thought on her looks to be the girl you always dreamed up inside your head. Anne I'm so sorry."

Anne looked at him again and smiled. "You don't need to apologise, I should be the one apologising. It must have been horrible for you to see me with Roy, it must have seemed like I was rubbing it in your face."

Gilbert scoffed a little "You've really gained some perspective and insight Anne" he said with a smile. "What's made you so wise so fast?"

"Ah the life of an old maid!" she said with a smile.

"Rubbish you aren't old." He told her. "You look the same as you always have. Just as…" he trailed a little then looked to her "…beautiful."

Anne could feel her heart rate increase and the blush on her cheeks. "Thank you." She whispered. They gazed at each other for a few minutes, eating their food quietly before Gilbert felt he must break the silence "So tell me more about the misadventures of Anne Shirley the School Ma'am Principle?"

* * *

"Where are you boarding?" He asked her as they left Emmanuel's.

"Oh I'm back at Patty's place. They even gave me my old room."

"Well that's splendid!" Gilbert smiled. "At least I know where I'm walking you back to."

"Oh Gil, you don't need to." She told him.

"No , I probably don't but can I all the same?" he asked her. "It must be getting late its…" he said bringing out his pocket watch "only 9pm." He shook his head. "My body clock has completely gone." He said with a chuckle, "I don't know whether its night or day anymore."

"What would you have done? I mean what were you planning on doing? Where would you have eaten? What would you have eaten?"

"I probably would have gone down to the cafeteria at the hospital grabbed a sandwich then went home to bed." He sighed.

"Do you always do such long shifts at the hospital?" She asked him, "72 hours that's three days none stop."

"Well it started Monday evening, I was over in the emergency room being the surgeon down there, right at the end of my shift a women came in in labour I was the doctor, it was wrong to leave her, but it ended up being until about midday and I was due in surgery at one for a member of the boards wife who needed surgery, there were some, complications I was there until 8 which takes us to Tuesday night where on there was three other surgeries I attended to because somehow there were no other surgeons on site, then I was actually on call I tried to catch some sleep but when I lay my head down all I got was 'Doctor Blythe!' all night long then I had another surgery from 10am to midday yesterday then at midday until 6 I was down in the clinic."

"It sounds a lot of work for someone who just left medical school two years ago?" Anne questioned.

"It is I suppose." He said.

"Is what Emily said true? Are you going to make consultant surgeon next year?" She asked him.

"well I have to pass a few tests to get there. But hopefully…" he looked down blushing.

"Gil," She smiled grabbing hold of his hand. "You must be working so hard doesn't it normally take years to get there?" she questioned him.

He looked down at their hands, 'ANNE is holding my hand! What world have I fallen into! She's holding my hand!' he was thinking but he knew he had to answer her. "Well I entered as a junior Doctor last year the head surgeon really took a shine to me while I was at medical school and put me on the fast track to the top. I've certainly put in the hours." He said with a chuckle.

"Is there anything you could wish for?" Anne asked him again impressed with the work Gilbert had put in, how he had obviously caught the eyes of hospital.

"Maybe a couple of things." He admitted quietly.

"Oh?" She questioned. "Come on then tell me what they are."

"Well one is that I wasn't so tired, I might just enjoy it a bit more." He said with a sigh.

Anne looked at him sadly for a minute. 'Poor Gil' she thought to herself. 'He must be exhausted.' She did wonder. "Anything else?" she asked him.

He pulled his hand from her shoving it in his pocket and looked to the floor shyly. He didn't answer straight away; it was very close to his heart. The one thing he had given up on, the one thing he thought would never be possible because she had married someone else, and let's face it there was never going to be anyone else but her. He'd slipped into the bachelor life quite easily he was living very comfortably on his wages, he had plenty of savings because he had very few overheads and didn't really have time for any hobby's, in fact his hobby was sleeping. He was successful in his work life and alright he hadn't been back to the island it's not as if he would never go back. He would eventually take a holiday and go and see his parents, he did miss them. But this one wish, this impossible dream wasn't quite as impossible as it was only three hours ago. "Someone to share it with." He said in a low tone as his heart raced.

Anne's stomach did a flutter her pulse increase involuntarily then a pang of regret hit her, which she knew all too well. It could have been her. All those years ago, she could have been Mrs Dr Gilbert Blythe by now, she could be the one celebrating with him as he fulfilled his dreams. It hadn't been the first time in the past seven years the thought had entered her mind. Even though she hadn't heard from Gilbert she counted the moments. She had so wished to have danced with him after convocation it had seemed everything else after was about him. She started teaching at Summerside and had thought 'Gil would have started medical school by now.' And every landmark thereafter 'Gil would be starting his second year third year…. Half way through his school term, I bet he's got his half year mark now, I wonder what they were? Gil would be a doctor by now'. She had prayed that he was happy, that he was doing well, that he might feel fulfilled in whatever it was he was doing now. She had never prayed he would marry or find someone else, truth was although she was convinced it would happen because it WAS GILBERT, her soul hadn't wanted it to be so, how could she pray he found someone ELSE? When she…. "There's still time." She told him being quite bold and putting her arm through his. (Well of she couldn't have his hand what else was she supposed to do?)

He looked down at their two arms now entangled in each other. It had been his strong will which had pulled his hand away from hers but now, now she had done this, he had no will, only the desire to be as close to Anne as possible. He took a silent sigh, these emotions he had were ridiculous! Anne Shirley no more loved him then he loved Josie Pye. "You're being kind, I can tell." He said with a sad smile to her.

"No I'm not." She whispered. "You're Gilbert Blythe, you should put yourself out there more, every women we encountered in that hospital would have given her right hand to go on a date with you." She said trying to reassure him and make him realise…

"Not the kind of girl I'm after, she's completely unobtainable to me." He said without looking at Anne.

"You should still try." Anne tried to encourage him to look at her, was it still that he loved her? After all this time? Was she still in for a chance to be his wife?

"I did." He said trying to make the conversation come to an end. "I tried to and she rejected me. She is unavailable to me." He said with shallow breathing and racing heart.

"She might not be as unobtainable as you think." Anne murmured. Gil had clearly given up all hope, of course he had, up until 3 hours ago he had thought she was at least engaged if not married, what hope had she ever given him? She should have tried to stay in touch but at first it had hurt too much, then there had been such a long time since they had contacted each other she thought it might have seemed strange for a letter to appear from her to him, he would probably recognise the handwriting and simply thrown it away without reading it. But, if it was her, if he still had some feelings for her, she could give him that hope now. Couldn't she?

They arrived at Patty's Place. Gilbert finally looked up as she turned into him to be face to face. "Now that cast. Don't get it wet, if you need your hair washing you will need someone else to do it for you. You'll need to come back to the hospital in six weeks I'll take it off and see how the bone is doing and we'll make an assessment from there. I'll keep hold of your file and I'll send out an appointment letter make sure its me that takes care of you. NO heavily lifting, No carrying big boxes down stairs." He said with a gentle chuckle.

"Yes Doctor Blythe." She said with a grin taking the reprimand.

"I've really enjoyed tonight Anne, I can't remember the last time I had this much fun." He told her.

"Me neither." She admitted.

He momentarily felt braver then he had felt since Anne rejected him seven years ago and gathered her in his arms and hugged her closely. With the exception of Anne's broken arm she returned the hug limb for limb. "Goodnight Anne." He whispered before letting go.

She looked at him, her whole body was shaking in delight! That hug had been so intimate. Why? Why had he pulled away? Maybe he really didn't want her anymore? "Night Gil." She looked down disappointed. She walked up the garden path of Patty's place.

It was sad really, was she really pining after him after all this time and just expecting him to accept it? Just because she was ready for it? Making it to the veranda before she heard his voice call from behind

"Are you busy on Friday night? Maybe we can grab some coffee?" he called.

She turned her heart racing and looked at him with a full feeling. "Really?" she asked him.

"Or you know, maybe I'll switch back to tea, with the one second milk for you?" he said with a teasing grin.

She giggled and bit her lip. "I'd like that." She said as her lips turned to a full on smile.

"I should be finished at five at the hospital, I mean I can't promise bang on five, but you could meet me there or I could pick you up here if you prefer?" he said half not believing she had accepted.

"The hospital will be fine." She said beaming.

"Its not too fancy but I know this great little restaurant the doctors always go to, if you like we could get something to eat too?"

"Yes please." She said with a smile.

"Really?" he asked her to make sure.

Anne laughed sweetly. "Yes, really." Then she saw something which topped her night he smiled with that Gilbert twinkle in his eye. She hadn't seen it for so long, she thought maybe he had out grown it really, men don't keep their boyish twinkles do they? But there it was right there in his eyes. "Good night Gil." She said sweetly.

"Night Anne." He said still in full beam. She walked across the veranda opened the door and looked behind to him, she smiled again and waved. He waved back with a mischievous grin on his face which sent her heart to frenzy! She shut the door behind her to avoid him seeing her with such the flush she was feeling coming on.

* * *

He opened the door to his apartment and locked the door behind him. He couldn't bear to do anything but go to bed he was well and truly worn out! He slipped his clothes off and put them in the washing pile which lay next to his bedroom door; he slipped his nightshirt on and pulled up his pajama bottoms. For the first time in years he was glad he hadn't come home and just slept, he never slept well anyway but today! Anne wasn't married! Anne wasn't even engaged and had never been so! She hadn't even loved Gardner! And SHE was absolutely stunning! She really was, he had heard red hair was supposed to fade with age, maybe they weren't old enough yet for it to fade although he very much doubted Anne was ever going to age she was as beautiful as the first day he met her so maybe her hair would remain the same shade of red forever? He hoped so. He'd forgotten what a sheer pleasure it was just to talk to her. Then SHE had made the physical contacts SHE had held his hand and had put her arm through his. He had felt WANTED. It had scared him a little but then when he had gathered her in his arms he felt loved. Watching her walk away was unbearable. Calling after her was a risk he was terrified to be rejected again but she hasn't, she didn't reject him... could her words have been more then kindness? Heart racing again his chest he hoped so. He felt more alive today then he had felt in a long long lay back in the darkness of his bedroom a gentle grin on his face as he fell into the soundest slumber he had slept in over seven years.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi Everyone!

Thank you all for the feedback it has been taken on board! Keep tuned to find to what happens (i promise you won't wait long for it!)

* * *

It was after 2pm the next day before he woke. It didn't matter he wasn't due in until 11pm for the night shift then he was down in the emergency room until 5, where he had promised to meet Anne again. He was seeing Anne again! He could barely believe it. He was currently hopping impatiently, from one foot to another in an almost dance in front of his oven the kettle getting close to boiling on the stove and his toast in the oven, he knew if the kettle boiled before the toast was ready then by the time he had poured the hot water in his cup then the toast would have burnt in the meantime. He never got the hang of timings. Finally the toast browned lightly he pulled it quickly from the stove he did have some butter left in the pantry right? It had been a while and the pantry was never well stocked... he did enough to survive obviously basic meals nothing that would serve more then one or if it did it could keep in the pantry a couple of days. Luckily the butter was fine in the pantry he spread it quickly on his toast. Oh was there some of his mother's apple jam left? He felt closer to home today then he had in a long time. He supposed it was with seeing Anne. A sight of the island Anne, a taste of the island his mother's apple jam. He was pleased when he did still have some. He poured hot water into his coffee cup added his two sugars brought the liquid to his lips when it passed them his face screwed a little. Had he put too much coffee in it? That was unlikely but it tasted too strong! He poured it out and washed the cup out before reaching for something he hasn't done since the second year of medical school though for some reason he still stocked it. In went the tea he poured in the still hot water and prayed the milk hadn't turned (which it hadn't) 'one' he counted in his head. He stirred the liquid and tasted. Perfect he thought to himself he went to the bookshelf balanced the toast in his teeth and pulled out his Tennyson book and moved quickly to the sofa. He sat crossed legged he balanced his tea next to him as he happily sat and read the poems as he ate his toast and drank his tea. It didn't seem like an hour later he pulled himself up off the sofa, he saw it was 3:30. Anne would be finished her day already, he wondered what she had taught if she had taught... did she as a Principal have to teach? She would WANT to he was certain of that. What would she be wearing? How did she manage with her hair with a broken arm? How did she write? She was right handed and it had been her right arm she broke. What kind of teacher with experience was she? Was she strict? No he couldn't imagine that. More like Miss Stacy... yes that's it. Kind, encouraging fun and active. Learning by observing the world around them... oh Miss Stacy really had been HIS best teacher, he knew Anne had adored her... although with Anne's temperament he wondered if she ever lost her temper...? Of course in an all girls school she didn't have the option of sitting a girl next to a boy, he remembered how horrified Anne had been and how excited he had been and how miserably he had failed in winning her over.

He pulled out his shirt and tie a waist coat before getting his suit sorted. He actually FELT like going to the shop and restocking a little. He was in a good mood today. He smiled knowing the source. You couldn't really doubt it. He felt as though a new bolt of life had surged through him, how did Anne have such an immediate effect? Of course he knew the answer, how could he not know the answer. He was still in love with her. She had made the world come alive again she wasn't married, she wasn't engaged and she was in Kingsport with him!

Now fully dressed he headed out the door whistling lightly. It was a beautiful day! The sun was out there was a light breeze, the world was at rights in his opinion.

"Good afternoon Doctor Blythe we don't see you in here too often." The lady at the shop said to him.

"Afternoon." He said cheerfully. "No I finally need to restock, I don't think I can avoid it much longer." He said with a smile.

"Is that the only time you come and visit us?" She laughed. "You need to get yourself a little wife." She told him, "someone to take care of you properly."

He chuckled a little "Is that all wives are good for?" he joked. "If they are I think I'll pass, I can take care of myself."

"You need a good wife because a good looking man like you shouldn't be alone." She told him.

Gilbert flashed a smile at her concern. He collected his basic items paid for them then started to walk a slightly different route home, he walked past a flower shop. He stopped and looked for a moment at a beautiful display of lily of the valleys and pink roses which stood in the window. They were… They were beautiful. He went into the shop.

"Can I help you?" The shop assistant asked.

"Yes I was just wondering how much are those lily of the valley's with the roses?"

"You have a keen eye, they are very pretty." He lady went to check on the price.

"Do you deliver?" He asked her.

"Yes we do, although I'm afraid it won't be until tomorrow morning." She told him.

"Actually that would be perfect." He said "Can you deliver them to the ladies college, to a Miss… Oh actually Principal Anne Shirley?" he asked with a grin.

The lady agreed, where on she asked if he would like to write the card

 _'Carrots, Just what the Doctor ordered. –Gil'_

the lady looked at the card confused at the short and odd wording. She however thanked him for his business as he left.

He went back up to his apartment and put his shopping away, It was still only five and the hospital was just round the corner he didn't bother undressing or even getting into bed but decided a quick nap was needed before he headed out. It would be a long shift after all.

* * *

Anne was trying to get these midterms grades completed, she had been putting it off for days and since she could do very little with only her left hand in action, she had restricted herself to marking or teaching not writing anything too long and complex and no carrying anything. So today had been pretty boring and it would be for another six weeks. She smiled though. 'At least I got to see Gil again.' She thought to herself. Seven years ago she knew how handsome he was, you'd need to be as blind as a bat NOT to think Gilbert was handsome and when they had graduated even though he had lost all that weight and looked tired and thin and the spark had been lost from his eyes, he was STILL a handsome chappy. The pangs of regret hadn't started until she had started at Summerside and everyone was being so mean to her. She had even started a letter to Gilbert asking for his advice and support but had soon fed it to the fire and as she watched the paper turn to ash in the fire she wondered what had made her think to write to Gil. He was wise. Even when they were younger the moment they had become friends she noticed how wise and level headed he was but he never tried to dampen Anne, he let her feel her emotions full range but just gently gave her a new perspective. Then every time something had happened, every event every failure every success it was Gilbert she wanted to share it with, along with her own success she had wondered at his. Would he remain top of the class? (the answer of course now was yes, he had very much graduated MD top of his class) Maybe he would go back to Avonlea that holiday, maybe they could catch up? But then she started to have very vivid dreams all centred around him. It hadn't taken her long to figure it out from there. The reason she said no to Roy, yes it was because she didn't love him but it was because her heart already belonged to Gilbert and it hurt to be away from him. She knew she had messed up any chances of getting together with Gilbert, in fact at the time she had justified he had proposed to Christine he was probably married anyway. It wasn't until she went to his office and saw no pictures of 'his girl' and he had told her 'there was never anyone else' her heart felt as though it might explode with the revelation. He had believed her engaged and probably married, So he'd settled into the life of a bachelor? No probably not ALL because of her but at least in part. Someone as handsome and clever and attractive as Gil and there was never anyone else. She knew she had to try again, she had to make him see how she had changed, how she had learned how she was most certainly NOT Mrs Royal Gardner! Her thoughts interrupted by the front door bell ringing, she came out of her office and answered the door.

"Delivery for a Principal Anne Shirley?" The man said holding a large box.

"That's me." Anne confirmed as he handed her the box, Anne taking it in her left arm. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Miss, let me get this door for you have a pleasant day." He said closing the door for her. She carried the box back into her office, ever intrigued by what it could be, she struggled to get the box open when she did lifting the top revealed a beautiful array of Pink roses and Lily of the valley. She gasped at the sight. They were beautiful! She didn't need to read the card she knew only Gil would send her flowers but he was seeing her tonight? What was he doing sending her flowers? And quite a large bouquet, it must have cost quite a bit of money to do so!? She could feel her stomach doing somersaults as she read the card _"Carrots, Just what the Doctor ordered. –Gil"_ She laughed at the card. He had ordered the flowers and he was a doctor and of course the old saying meaning 'what is needed' because traditionally flowers are sent when someone is ill. Oh that man was just as clever as ever. Would he ever stop his joking? She hoped not she had quickly learnt that was one of the many things she had missed about him, one of the others of course was gestures like this. Sweet reminders of his presence in her life oh how she had longed for a sign like this for so long! Still the bouquet of flowers were her two of her favourite flowers, pink roses and lily of the valley, flowers she could live with, Roy's flowers may have equalled in size but rarely were they flowers which seemed to be made just for her. These couldn't be more perfect if she had tailor made them! She quickly found a vase and struggled one handed to do so but put them in water in pride of place on her desk, she would take them home tonight, oh she hoped he wouldn't mind if she took some of the flowers and put them through her hair for tonight? No, he never would mind, he used to help her put flowers in her hair weaving them through her mane. She blushed at such memories now, at the time she had convinced herself it was "Gilbert my chum" she came to realise just how often Gilbert had been a gentlemen considering his feelings for her. Gilbert who had pulled her from the lake dripping wet her clothes had literally hung from every small curve she had, he had still found it in him to be a gentlemen, Gilbert whom she had taken her stockings and shoes off in front of revealing her bare ankles and often more of her leg on too, on hot summer days it must have taken all the will power in the world not to say anything when his own feelings were so strong… Gilbert who had given up his school with no promise of friendship for the gesture, did so why? To give a small act of service. He never wanted anything in return. Her friendship had always been a bonus to him. She smiled at the flowers again. Maybe they could finally set things straight between them, maybe they could get back on track, maybe they could still be together?

* * *

She found her way back to his office and waited outside of it. She was a little early and she honestly didn't mind the wait. She couldn't manage to put it back in a bun of any sort instead Patty had helped her put it in a long plait coming over her shoulder and helped Anne weave some of the small lillies and one of the roses into Anne's hair. She chose a dress Gilbert had told her at Redmond she looked pretty in, anything to please him.

It really has been a long shift! Gilbert thought to himself, grabbing at the cold coffee again for the third time today it tasted really strong! Had someone swapped all the coffee round? But he knew he needed it! By midday he had been going for 13 hours, now completing his 18 hour shift he headed up to his office, where he knew Anne would be waiting. He turned into the corridor seeing her at the far end he caught his breath as he stopped still for a moment and watched her.

'A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases;' he thought. 'Where had Keats come from?' He thought to himself, he hadn't thought in poetry for a long time. He moved towards her his movement made her turn around. She was wearing a dress he had once admired her hair was left long and over her shoulder and every inch of it was RED! He smiled as she saw him.

When she turned she wasn't expecting him in the scrubs she had seen other doctors in. She smiled as the scrubs were only short sleeved leaving his naturally (darker then hers) brown skin exposed his muscles were peaking from under the sleeve.

"You're a sight for sore eyes." He told her smiling as he approached admiring the flowers in her hair he picked up the end of her plait. "My flowers." He said his smile breaking to a full one.

"I know, thank you. You don't mind do you? They were just so beautiful…"

"If there was a way to make those flowers more beautiful it was to put them in your hair." He told her with sentiment.

She blushed at the compliment. "I thought you wouldn't mind, you never used to mind flowers in my hair."

"Well some things never change." He said letting go of her hair. "Let me get out of these scrubs, I'll be right with you." He quickly made his way into his office and changed as fast as he could. He didn't want to lose a single moment with Anne. He came back out.

"You look smart." Anne smiled. "Do you always dress so smartly?"

"Why thank you, and yes I suppose I do. Why what would you prefer me in?" he asked her.  
"I keep expecting to see you with one of your jumpers and shirts on like in school days." She said with a grin

"I haven't dressed like that in years, even at Redmond I was in suits." He said with a smile to her. "Come on let's get out of here before someone finds me here."

* * *

They sat in a booth across from each other as the hot beverages were served. Gilbert told her of his day.

"I don't know how you do it Gil, 18 hours straight? It would drive me insane."

"Just used to it I suppose." He shook his head again the coffee being too strong.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"Probably nothing, my coffee has been strong all day, my taste buds must be off." He thought out loud.

"Oh I hope you aren't coming down with anything?" Anne asked him.

"No I doubt it." He admitted. "Probably just me." He paused then asked "How are you coping with your arm?"

She looked frustrated at it. "Its driving me mad not being able to do anything I normally can, are you sure it takes 6 weeks?" she asked in vain.

"At least I'm afraid." He chuckled. "I know how active you are… or at least were…" He trailed thinking.

"Are! Still are! I've not changed that much Gil." She told him.

"Still as prone to accidents apparently." He said laughing.

"I don't think that will ever change!" She laughed with him.

"Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" He asked her.

She smiled in response taking a menu. "Do you have a favourite?"

"Fish and Chips*!" He said happily. (*Sorry folks chips in this case being the British English version of the word, as in potatoes cooked in fat cut to between ½- 1/3 inch thick, I guess maybe really thick French fries)

She looked up from her menu and looked at him shaking her head.

"What?" He asked.

"Just how do you look like that if you have such a fatty diet?" She asked him.

A smile snuck across his face. "Look like what, pry tell?" he flirted.

She blushed realising she had said too much. "What I mean is… I meant to say…" she stuttered.

He started to chuckle under his breath. "You think I look good!" he teased. "I'm soooo handsome!" he continued in an old Gilbert fashion, not really believing he was but the teasing was so much more like him.

"Hush Gilbert! Someone will hear!" Anne told him half blushing half laughing. There was silence for a moment before Anne spoke "But yes, you do look very…" She trailed for a moment "Robust."

"Well apart from my occasional treat I do eat as mother taught me to." He smiled. "I was never a slender figure Anne, you do remember I worked on a farm growing up?" he questioned.

"Most boys who move away loose their farm boy arms and figure, I thought that's what happened final year to be honest but you seem to have bulked up even a little from before final year."

"Well I never felt quite myself. I really was trying to feel well and the more I worked at it the better I felt." He admitted before secretly added in his mind 'and I worked out my frustrations.' But didn't think it was appropriate to speak to a lady about such things... especially considering...

"Hello Doctor Blythe." The waitress said coming over. "You brought a friend?"

Gilbert smiled "Anne is an old friend from back on the island; she's principal over at the ladies college I only just found out this week she was here in Kingsport."

"Then you're Miss Shirley?" the waitress said.

"Yes that's right." Anne acknowledged.

"My youngest sister is still in school and goes there, Amy More."

"Well yes!" Anne exclaimed "I teach her English,"

"She simply adores you! She loves the way you gave them re-enact things she says it really makes them come alive."

Anne laughed sweetly "That's very kind it's always been one of my favourite ways to learn. Amy is very bright, as long as she applies herself she could go as far as she wants to."

"Thank you, mother will be glad to hear it." Then she smiled "Have you decided on your food?"

Gilbert sat in wonderment during their interaction. Yes that answered his earlier questions on what type of teacher Anne was and of course she taught the children! His chest subconsciously puffed out at being the one sat opposite from her.

"Emm yes." Gilbert acknowledged giving Anne the chance to order before he placed his own.

* * *

The two friends walked back to Patty's place arm in arm smiling and laughing at the new memories they were sharing, both secretly thrilled to be in the others arm. When they arrived at Patty's place this time Gilbert walked her to the veranda. They hugged into each other once more, their faces rubbing against the others several times more than was natural for the intimacy they both desperately needed.

"Anne.." He whispered holding her close. "What's happening?" He asked her.

"I don't know." She admitted quietly in his ear.

He pulled back and looked at her. "Can we meet again?" He asked her.

"This is becoming a regular thing Gilbert Blythe." She smiled.

"Then let it." He almost begged her. "Do you want it to be?"

Anne smiled widely wrapping her good arm round his neck playing with his hair. "Yes." She replied.

"Tuesday afternoon, I'll have some free time, do you fancy a walk with me? It is after school hours."

"Don't you want to sleep in your free time?" She asked him.

"I'd rather be with you." He told her honestly. "Please Anne?" he said dropping his hand to her waist holding her.

She smiled in his arms and nodded, they hugged once more before Gilbert affectionately took her hand in his and kissed the back of her hand. "Night Anne." He said glowing.

"Night Gil."


	4. Chapter 4

Hi Everyone!

Thank you all so much for the support on this one and what lovely comments I've had about it. Thank you so much! I don't know if you are all going to love me or hate me at the end of this chapter. But its where the story led me. I hope you all like it, the chapter completed with all the comments I didn't want you all to loose hope of the next chapter. Hopefully I've not disappointed anyone with the way their relationship has gone. I'll admit I'm nervous about it!

* * *

The next few weeks seemed to Gilbert filled with meeting Anne, wherever and whenever they could. Walks along the shore, meeting after school, meeting during school for a brunch/lunch and sharing hot beverages. Anne noticed Gil was no longer drinking the coffee but instead had reverted back to his old order of tea she wondered as to why he had but didn't bother asking why. They often hugged at the end of their meetings. By the end of the six weeks they had once again caught up in each other's lives. Gilbert almost dreaded the day Anne came to his office to get the cast removed. But there she was. He gently started removing it silently.

Despite the last six weeks Gilbert had feared this day. It was the last day he had an excuse to see her. They had started seeing each other regularly but would all that halt when she had no need to see him again?

"You're quiet." Anne remarked.

"Am I?" he asked as if he didn't know.

"What's the matter?" She asked him trying to make eye contact with him.

He paused in his work pulling back a moment before standing up and pacing for a moment before stopping. "Is this going to be it?" he asked her.

Anne looked at him with big grey eyes. "Do you want it to be?" She asked him.

"Of course I don't" He choked.

"Neither do I." She said calmly.

He sat in front of her again and grasped what he could of both her hands. "I'm scared you'll walk away and I won't ever see you again." He told her looking her in the eyes.

Anne melted. "That's not going to happen Gil." She whispered.

"Promise?" He asked her he couldn't believe quite how desperate he sounded.

"I couldn't mean it more with a thousand promises." Anne told him

He took a sigh then said trying to hide his emotions again said "alright then," he paused "let's get this cast off."

Her arm finally free of the plaster he took her arm in his hands again. Just like the first time it didn't feel like he was examining it, her heart fluttered at his gentle touch, he pressed down gently on her arm.

"Can you feel anything?" he asked her.

"What?" Anne asked confused looking at him… of course she felt something what a dumb question! She felt everything every emotion she had repressed over all the years and they were all fluttering through her.

"Your arm, is it hurting when I press? I think the bone has healed." Gilbert clarified.

"Oh, no." She replied, of course he meant that. "It doesn't hurt." She confirmed.

"All fixed then!" He said happily. "Now there are some exercises with your arm to help the muscle build back up, you can do at home but there won't be any need for a physician's supervision, unless of course it starts to hurt again. I would recommend maybe putting in a sling for as much of the day as you can stand to help it while it heals. The two together should make for that arm being as good as new." He told her practically handing her a leaflet. They paused and looked each other in the eye "Do you still want to go to dinner?" He asked her.

"Yes please and thank you Gil." She smiled. "When will I get the doctors bill?" She asked him.

"Oh, erm forget about it." He told her.

"No Gil the hospital will want…" she started.

"The hospital already has the money, they don't care." He told her.

She looked at him with wide eyes "Gil!" She exclaimed gently.

He smiled gently "I couldn't make you pay now could I?" he told her. "consider it payback for all those hours you spent studying with me… or for being the one I trusted enough to tell in the first place."

"Thank you." She whispered. "Then let me pay for dinner. I insist." She told him. "You did just save me a small fortune."

He chuckled. "Alright then Miss Shirley, but you can expect one thing." He told her.

"What's that?" She asked him.

"I'm getting the most expensive thing on the menu." He said with a cheeky grin.

Anne laughed her eyes sparkling. "Fair trade if you ask me."

* * *

They were walking through Kingsport deep in their conversation, the night was drawing in on them, when the topic of engagement came upon them as one of the nurses in the hospital had just got engaged and one of the teachers in the school.

"What's it like?" Gilbert asked her, "from a girls point of view, I mean you said you had four proposals was it nice being told you were loved?" he asked her.

"Two didn't tell me they loved me." Anne reflected. "Charlie told me how fortunate I was if I took upon me the name of 'Sloane' never once declared his love for me or asked if I loved him. Neither did Billy, which of course would be difficult to do seeing as though he did it by proxy." She took a deep breath. "As I said before they were all horrible in their own ways." Anne added swearing she could feel a cold breeze down her neck. "Roy was, sincere in his affection, it was so horrible because I felt nothing in return, and I know I ought to have felt something but there was just nothing there, my childish romantic ideal poured his heart out to me and I felt nothing." She sighed. "So hearing him tell me he loved me wasn't very nice at all."

They both took a breath knowing the next topic. The one which hadn't been discussed by them yet, like a barrier was put there not to be crossed, and they were about to cross it.

Gilbert pulled a grin trying to disguise his tender heart "Come on then, tell me? Where did I go wrong?" He asked her.

Anne stopped in her tracks for a moment and gave a heavy sigh. "We should sit." She told him quietly. They went to a nearby bench.

"It must be bad if you're getting us to sit?" He questioned. Afraid this would build a new barrier in this wonderful relationship they had managed to salvage from the ashes of the old one.

"No Gil, it won't be so terrible for you but it's scary for me to admit." She took a deep breath and held both his hands in hers. "When you proposed, you were romantic, sweet and loving, but the thing which made it so terrible…" she felt tears starting to form in her eyes, her voice was trembling with emotion. She had to find it in her to tell him the truth, he would see her for what she really was. An undeserving brat. He would truly hate her, but he had the right to the information, he had the right to know it hadn't been him. It was truly and utterly her. "…was the fact that deep down inside, I knew I was turning down the right man." She was now full on crying. He looked at her in shock over what he was hearing…"I know I'm undeserving of your love." She told him. "I deserve for your distain, I deserve for you to be married to someone else." The words weren't registering in Gilbert's head immediately. "I didn't know it at the time Gil, I swear I've only came to realise after it all happened and I really started to think about what I regretted. I couldn't love Roy." She said with a heavy sigh then said quietly "because I was already in love with you." She let go of his hands terrified of his rejection and quickly leapt up from the bench and started to walk away. She'd just ruined it! She'd ruined it all. He would never NEVER love her now, now he knew the truth of the girl he placed his heart in the hands of.

The words were swimming in Gilbert's head as she walked away. Anne had been in love with him! She had loved him all along! Anne! His beautiful, lovely, sweet, endearing Anne! And she was walking away crying! What was he doing still sitting there!? He leaped up and quickly followed her when only a few paces behind he called to her "then make it right." He told her.

She stopped in her tracks and turned to him looking in disbelief as fresh tears fell from her face. "What?" she said unbelievingly.

He strode to her his hands gently caressing her cheeks as soon as they could reach. A gentle smile on his lips he played sweetly with her eyes then eventually after a few moments of silence he told her again, "I love you. You know I do." He whispered. "Always have, always will." He found himself quite breathless. Was this really happening? Could Anne say yes? Finally? Finally? Her breathing was shallow, her eyes dilated. "Make it right, and marry me?"

A throaty giggle came from Anne, he could feel her shaking in his arms. More tears formed in her eyes as he looked in them they were filled with joy.

"Yes." She whispered. "Finally honestly yes! I've never wanted anyone else either, not the real me, the real me has always loved you Gil."

He heart broke into song. "Say that again?" He asked her.

"I love you Gil." She repeated. Before he quickly held her close and put his lips to hers. Their kiss became more and more imitate their mouths parting only to be brought close again with a deeper kiss closely followed.

They pulled away breathless. He held her face close to his as they tried to catch their breaths. Gilbert barely able to make the sentence "Is… Is this really happening?" He questioned.

"Please let the answer be yes." Anne smiled. He kissed her again loving that he was finally able to share this with her. Their second kiss was just as intense as the first. They again pulled away breathlessly.

He suddenly looked around aware they were in quite a public spot, if no one had seen them they would have been lucky. "Shall we take this somewhere a bit more private?" He asked her.

She smiled and bit at her bottom lip. "Yes please."

* * *

He lead her gently up to his apartment quietly he lead her in closing the door behind them. They stood on the other side of the door for a moment before he spoke. "Welcome to my apartment." He said with a smile. Anne looked around. It was very plain not many pretty things around but you couldn't expect that from a man's apartment really. The room itself was no bigger than Green Gables parlour but also had a small kitchenette within the same room, with a cupboard (Anne assumed to be the pantry at this point) next to it. You didn't have to go far to see the walls were lined with bookshelves. Anne smiled at this, if there was one thing about Gilbert which matched her completely it was his love of reading. She wondered if he really got time anymore to read. There were two doors leading somewhere, she didn't know where at this moment and finally the coffee table and a sofa with a curved back on it, it looked in good repair. "Do you like it?" He asked her.

"Its very… cozy." She said with a smile. "I don't suppose you really need much room." She observed. "You're very tidy."

He smiled. "Well thank you, I do try." He sighed "I know its not very pretty." He looked at her, "it needs a women's touch." He took her in his arms again. "Maybe now it does." He said kissing her gently again.

She smiled into the kisses enjoying every touch every tender kiss every second of love Gilbert was sharing with her. She turned in his arms allowing their embrace to be a full frontal before the kisses started again. This time being away from the possible prying eyes of other he held her close to him. Anne's legs wobbled beneath her. "Gil…" She breathed. He felt her swaying holding her closer, kissing her more as he went. She thrilled shivering in his arms. She had never felt this safe before, this loved before and it was Gilbert who was stirring these emotions. She felt her coat slip off her shoulders, she shivered more! If removing her coat did this to her…!

"Are you alright?" He asked her huskily.

Her heart pounding in her ears. "I'm thrilling everywhere!" she whispered.

He smiled gently kissing her again. "I'm thrilling you am I?" he flirted. "Is that what I do to you?"

"Always." She smiled into him kissing him allowing the kiss to become a deep one.

She slipped her hands round his jacket taking it off him. Her fingers immediately finding their way to his waistcoat slipping it from around him, her right arm round his shoulders running round the back of his head the other hand playing with his tie bringing it loose. She felt her feet leaving the ground as he lifted her closely, she could do nothing but let him, she couldn't quite believe it when she found a door open behind her as they entered the bedroom she was even more shocked when he lifted her onto the bed and lay on top of her kissing her neck. She let out a gasp of satisfaction at the action. "Gil…" she whispered. Was this the same good boy she grew up with? She had no idea he was capable of showing such passion, that he was capable of behaving so against the constraints of what society expected of him. He was acting like a lover. Her romantic ideal had always been in him! Sweeping her off her feet showing passion and love from word go! She had no will left to stop him! Her clothes now loose on her as he roved his hands under her clothes on top of her corset. Her neck being kissed and nipped at sending her heart into a frenzy. Her fingers untucking his shirt taking down his suspenders and unbuttoning his shirt.

He finally came up and looked into her eyes, now glazed with the passion she was feeling.

"I love you." He told her gently.

"I love you too Gil." She whispered.

"Anne." He whispered gently. He pulled back as if he came to recognise what he was doing. "You don't deserve this." He whispered lying back catching his breath.

She was confused, what did that mean? She was right, that she didn't deserve to be loved? She felt all of a sudden like her heart was breaking.

He looked to his side and saw the look on Anne's face. He could read her like a book, her emotions were right there, you could see them so easily in her eyes. He rasping managed to chuckle. "Oh Anne, not like that my love." He put his arm around her and hugged her in. "I mean you don't deserve to be taken like a mistress in a wild frenzy. You deserve to be loved as a wife."

Anne took a sigh of relief "I thought you meant…" she trailed.

"I would never think that Anne." He whispered holding her to his chest. "You of all the people in the world deserve all the love anyone could give and more." He said kissing into her hair. "Well Anne Shirley you've seen what a lustful creature I can be, can I still be the one to show you love? Do you still want to marry me?"

He could feel her smiling against him. "If anything it only encourages your position Gil." She told him. "I didn't think Gilbert Blythe could behave like that!" she told him. "You were always such a good boy."

He chuckled. "I think if you could have read my mind you might have disagreed."

She giggled sweetly and bit her bottom lip. "Oh really?" she whispered.

He chuckled and held her closer. "You have no idea." They looked at each other and kissed each other gently. "Instead of endless love making into the night, do you fancy staying the night?" he asked her. "In bed with me?" he took a breath "Then we can head out first thing in the morning and pick out an engagement ring for you."

She looked up at him "You can't help but rebel can you?" she said smiling. "Gilbert Blythe they'll be talking about us!" she told him.

"I don't care, I don't care anymore what anyone else thinks. I care I love you and I want to be with you as much as I can from now on."

"I'd love to stay the night with you Gil." She told him. "As for an engagement ring you really don't need to." She told him.

"I most certainly do!" he said a hint of horror in his voice, "And anyway we can pick out some wedding rings while we are there."

She laughed "You're not wasting any time are you?"

"No, I'm not wasting another moment. We've already wasted so much time we could have been together."

"How long do you suppose the wedding rings will take to come back?" She asked him.

"I don't know." He admitted. "Why?" He asked.

"Just supposing, I mean wouldn't it be nice just to…" She trailed.

"What?" He asked her.

"Nothing, you probably want to marry in front of your family."

He took a deep breath. "You want to elope?" he questioned a hint of astonishment in his voice.

"I want this to be about us, if we went back to the island still unmarried there would be all the expectation of what we needed to do, how we should behave, I just want to be your wife."

His mouth wiggled a little smile "I would have thought you wanted to marry at Green Gables."

"We can always have a party there to celebrate." She said "we will go back to the island won't we?" she asked.

"Of course we will!" he exclaimed.

"Don't you think it would be romantic to elope?" She said in her dreamy voice. His smile widen at the sound of her dreamy voice, dreamy Anne was one of his favourite personas of Anne Shirley. "Running away and marrying in secret." She smiled.

He paused before answering. His lovely Anne just wanted to marry him! HIM! "I suppose we'll find out when we elope." He said matter of factly.

She turned into him head up looking at him "Oh Gil do you mean it?" she asked him.

"I just want to be your husband nothing else matters and you're right, we'll have too many people's opinions and noses poking in where it's not wanted. As you said we can have a party to celebrate once we're back home."

She leapt on his kissing him again deeply.

He pulled back gently "Anne please don't tempt me like this!" he murmured in delight.

"I'm not convinced by your argument Gil." She said kissing round his ear.

He laughed gently. "THAT unconvincing huh?"

She laughed with him as they consciously parted a little.

"Do you want something a little more comfortable to sleep in?" he asked her "I'm afraid I don't have many lady visitors..." He said with a smile and a wink "...but you can have one of my night shirts if you like? You should be comfortable enough." He offered.

"Thank you." She smiled. "I'd like that."

He sat up and slid off the bed going to the draws he pulled out a nightshirt for her leaving it on the top of the draws. "I'll give you some privacy to get changed." He said quietly trying his best not to make eye contact out of fear he would start blushing.

"Thank you love." She smiled as she caught his eye and a pinkness appeared on his cheeks. "adorable!" she called after him as he left the room and closed the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi Folks,

Sorry I seemed to have scared you all with apologising last time, some people might not have liked the idea of them sharing a bed before being married (or Gilbert being quite as lustful)... It was something I did start with in one of my other stories but they didn't in that one, but I suppose in this one they are a bit older and have waited long enough...

* * *

Gilbert couldn't believe it when he returned to the bedroom to find Anne standing by the bed. His bedshirts were big on him but put them on Anne and her thin figure made it look like a child had put on a one of their parents shirts it was so big on her. The bottom of the shirt being curved dipped to just above her knees at the front and back, the sides showing her mid thighs, her long legs were completely naked the colour being milk white he never thought he had seen anything so beautiful. The sleeves had been rolled up to wrist length. The buttons weren't all fastened at the top leaving her chest tantalizing close to the surface. Her long red hair was flowing down her back loose and wavy behind her. Gilbert was sure he would faint if he didn't catch his breath soon.

"Sorry it's a bit shorter than I thought it would be." She said blushing. "I don't think I've worn anything this short since I was in the orphanage." She told him. Still there was silence the look of haziness still hadn't left his eyes. "Are you okay Gil?" She asked him actually very concerned for him, he still stood frozen to the spot. "Gil?"

The second 'Gil' snapped him out of his gaze as he looked into the eyes of his fiancée. His breath finally caught as he felt his heart rate was unusually high. "You look stunning." He told her honestly.

Anne smiled "Thank you." She whispered, she looked at him to see a pensive look on his face "what is it? Whats going through your head?" She asked him.

He moved over to her holding her in his arms her soft body against him he often wondered what a natural womens body would feel like... no that wasn't true what a natural Anne's body would feel like. He could feel the curve of her breasts actually press against him her tiny ribcage he could feel round the back he could feel some if the bones under his realised just how easily he could crush her! A fear ran through his head. Was he crushing her just holding her so tightly? He drew back a little to look for any signs of discomfort none of which he could immediately see. "I used to imagine what it would be like to get to know you like this. Just innocently you know not the 'making love' part but what it would be like to hold you as you fell asleep, what it would feel like to protect you from everything and everyone else, how much trust there would be how much love there would be. What it would feel like to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake to find you still there. How intimate it would be." He took a sigh and kissed her. "I failed to consider how strong my emotions would be how difficult it would be to not just…" he stopped taking several deep breaths trying to calm his racing heart "… ravish you." He said in a whisper.

Anne smiled as his lips kissed her neck gently. "Oh Gil…" She whispered gently. "Where did this romantic side of you come from? I swear you never used to be like this?" She swooned.

"All those times you stopped me from saying something…" Gilbert trailed. "I was going to be romantic but I think you knew it somehow." He smiled holding her close "Everytime, everytime!" he kissed her deeply. "It killed me I couldn't share that side of me with you, I eventually thought everytime I wanted to say something romantic it was stupid so I suppressed it. Until it just became part of me to…" he trailed remembering how much it hurt him, how desperately he had been in love with her. "Its scary even now you've promised to be my wife. I'm still scared you'll think me a fool."

She giggled a little "The most foolish thing you've done is stay in love with me all this time, but I can't complain about that."

"not foolish." Gilbert told her. "I'd hand my heart to you all over again if it meant I got to love you for just one day." He kissed her again "because you're worth the wait."

Her eyes filled with tears "Gil!" She cried into him.

He held her close "Hey come on." He said comforting her. "We're together now that's all that important." He told her. "And you know just as soon as possible we are going to elope." He said with a smile. "Can you think of anything more romantic?" he asked her.

"You." She whispered gently.

He smiled and kissed into her hair again. "Tell you what I'll get changed really quickly, you go out and choose a book, we can read it together in bed fall asleep together, how does that sound my sweetheart?"

She nodded clearing the tears "Wonderful… incredibly wonderful." He kissed her gently again and she walked into the other room. Now she had a proper chance to look at Gilbert's books. She smiled at the thought. What would he like? She couldn't imagine many romantic books, boys tended not to read that sort of book. The first book shelf she saw was filled with Medical books.

'erm…' she thought, not exactly bed time stories. She moved to the next bookshelf she recognised a lot of the books as books from their courses at Redmond, one or two being the same as her own as they took some of the same classes. She smiled at the mere memory of being with Gilbert in those classes, the way they would study together and were able to keep up with each other. She moved to the final book case. She smiled. This was a bit more like Gil. The top shelf she was amazed to find full of poetry books. Shelley, Keats, Wilde, Byron, Yeats, Hardy, Browning, Wordsworth, Tennyson and Milton. She looked to the next shelf, these were filled with books familiar to herself as typical "boy" books but none of them were the trashy sort, in fact she'd read most of them. Treasure Island, lots of Dickens published works, Chaucer and Shakespeare. She looked in amazement as she saw Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. She heard the door click as he came out the bedroom dressed in his pyjamas

"Well Gilbert Blythe you feminist!" she exclaimed pointing at the books.

He laughed "A women can write as well as any man and often are better, its true of more than penning a novel, I don't need to remind you how you equalled or beat me in every subject, every step of the way. Why should I be bias against these women when I actively encouraged you to do the same thing?" he said holding her again.

"I didn't expect to have such a varied choice Gil." She admitted.

"well I'm glad I can still surprise you." He said with a wide smile.

"I think… this one." She said pulling out Wuthering Heights.

He smiled. "Yet I was a fool to fancy for a moment that she valued Edgar Linton's attachment more than mine. If he loved with all the powers of his puny being, he couldn't love as much in eighty years as I could in a day." He quoted.

"Gil…" She whispered.

"That's how I felt about Gardner." He admitted sadly.

"You never needed to my love." She said smiling.

He smiled before sweeping her off her feet carrying her into the bedroom.

Gilbert placed Anne on the end of the bed, "let me get my hair back." She told him

Gilbert asked "Can you leave it loose Anne?"

Anne looked at him surprised "my hair?" she asked him.

He nodded, "it doesn't have to be all night just… I've always… wanted to… play with it."

She held the length of it and put it over her shoulder lying on her side facing towards Gilbert he moved closer to lie on his side towards her. He gently touched her hair with his fingers gently making their way to the ends. Anne watched him as he did it again and again. His concentration was absolute, no flicker in his eyes, she thought if she were to strip naked in that moment he wouldn't notice his thoughts were so caught up on her hair. It was a very strange sensation. She knew she should hate the attention being on her red hair, certainly the first time he drew attention to her hair she had hated, but as she watched him now, there was no sign of malice on his face, no in fact there was an air of reverence around him as he did it. "Do you like it?" She asked him.

His eyes didn't defer from her hair still, took a deep breath he had obviously wanted to take. "It's beautiful." He told her. "It's always been beautiful, ever since Carrots."

"Now if you had called it beautiful the story might have ended up differently." Anne told him with a cheeky smile

"You're the one who told Diana I was awfully bold for winking at a strange girl."

Anne blushed. "You heard that?!"

Gilbert chuckled still gazing into her hair. "So many times I just wanted to touch it, just to feel what it would be like in my hands." He sighed "I think I'm dead gone Anne. What can a boy do to get over you?"

Anne smiled "You don't need to get over me. We just need to be together now."

At this his eyes flickered up to her as he smiled. "My Anne." He said with a half smug smile. He twisted his fingers into her hair gently and looked at her in the eyes "My carrots." He said with a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Gilbert Blythe!" Anne laughed. "Be careful, it was five years before I talked to you again!"

"Go ahead and try." He said with a glint of gleeness in his voice "But in the meantime I'm just going to do this." He whispered leaning in closely and kissing into her neck again.

She smiled and relaxed into his arms "You make an interesting argument Mr Blythe." She said to him.

He chuckled before he kissed her again drawing her into his chest. "I love you Anne." He told her again.

"I love you too Gil." She confirmed.

"Ermmm, oh…" He said remembering "The book, we were going to read the book." He said getting up to get the book from the draws Anne stood up and plaited back her hair. He got under the covers of the bed and moved over he tapped the bed with his free arm looking at Anne as he went. She smiled before entering the bed with him she lay on her side and hugged into Gilbert.

"A paragraph each?" Anne asked him.

He wrapped his arm around her allowing himself to relax back and opening the book. "Sure." He agreed. "1801. - I have just returned from a visit to my landlord - the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country!..." He started.

* * *

The next morning Gilbert woke first to find Anne wrapped inside his arms, the book still in his hand. They must have fallen asleep while reading it. He felt incredibly comfortable! A beautiful sleeping Anne in his arms her long red hair was plaited back much like it used to be when they were growing up he gently started playing with her hair careful not to wake her. His fiancée! His! How was this happening!? Anne! He gently kissed her forehead making her stir in his arms.

She looked up to see him lying with her. "Gil." She smiled snuggling back in. "It wasn't a dream."

He smiled at the movement. "Morning beautiful." He whispered. "No it wasn't a dream. How are you this morning?" he felt her smile against him chest. "Not regretting sleeping in the same bed as an unmarried man are you?"

"As long as the man is you it doesn't matter. Anyway you're not going to be unmarried for long, we're going to get married soon."

"We are." He smiled kissing into her hair again. "I can't believe this is happening!"

Anne laughed "Believe it because it is."

He laughed gently "emmm" he agreed.

"What time is it?" she asked him.

He looked at his alarm clock "Just past 8." He sighed. "Does that mean we should get up?" he asked her.

"No." She said snuggling into him again. "Not just yet, the day can wait a few minutes longer can't it?"

It was nearly half an hour later Anne now dressed was looking through Gilbert's pantry completely confused.

"Anne what's wrong?" he asked as he came out the bedroom now fully clothed himself.

She came out the pantry and looked at him "Where is all your food?" she asked him. "I can't make breakfast with two slices of bread and half a bag of sugar."

"Oh? Erm… I guess I need to restock again." He said.

"Restock? Gil there's nothing in here I thought you said you took care of yourself?"

"I do!" He said a bit insulted. "I know it's not stocked like a lady might stock it but I'm not one" he sighed "We don't have to eat here and you certainly don't need to be the one making it, I'm meant to be impressing you while we are engaged. Not the other way round." He took her in his arms "So stop worrying, there's that food truck we used to go to when we were at Redmond do you remember? They did those sandwiches for breakfast? We'll go there." He kissed her lightly. Anne looked torn between wanting to be perfect for him and agreeing with him. "Stop fretting my love." He whispered. "I don't need you to take care of me."

"I want to." Anne told him as he held her in his arms. "After everything I've put you through I want to." He kissed her again.

"Oh." He said letting go of her going to one of the draws bringing out a key. "This is my spare key… well your key now." He said to her. "Feel free to come and stay, even if I'm working at the hospital, treat this as your home." He put the key in her hand.

"Gil!" She said looking at the key then at him. "Are…. Are you sure?"

He nodded his head grinning from ear to ear. "What's mine is yours." He told her kissing her before she had the chance to say anything else. "Come on lets go." He told her.

* * *

Anne felt flushed at the choices! So many different ones. Rubies, diamonds, emeralds, each as beautiful as each other but they didn't seem quite right. She looked to Gilbert who was looking at the wedding rings in the next window, she slowly Made her way over to another display, one marked with "other special occasions" her eyes clasped on a small pearl ring. It was on a gold ring with one bigger pearl in the middle and two smaller ones making it a small cluster. She felt Gilbert's arms come around her hugging her from the back.

"Have you chosen one?" he asked her. She smiled, nodded and pointed at the ring. He looked at it "that's pretty," he observed, "but it's not an engagement ring." Gilbert wondered.

"It doesn't have to be one marked as 'engagement ring' to be MY engagement ring." Anne told him.

He looked again at it... it would look good on her slender fingers. "Are you sure you don't want something more expensive, I might not be able to get the most expensive but..."

"I don't want any of the others; I'm telling you that is my ring!" She told him.

Gilbert chuckled "Alright, alright anything for you my love." He told her. "Come on lets go in."

Unlikely as it was the ring Anne had chosen was a perfect fit and she was able to take it away with her that day, the wedding rings would take a week to come back to get the fittings right.

"On Monday on my lunch break I'll go down to city hall and get a Marriage Certificate , how would two weeks from today be for you?" he asked her.

"Perfect." She said smiling letting him hold her closer.

"Did you tell anyone back home about us meeting again yet?" He asked her.

"No, I suppose I haven't." Anne said.

"Me neither." He said. "Suppose we make it a complete surprise, the whole story, not even tell them until we go home." He said with a cheeky grin.

"You always did like to tease." Anne smiled. "How do you think they'll react?"

"I don't think it'll be any great surprise that I loved you, that was always obvious enough." Gilbert said with a grin.

"I think as much as I tried to hide it Marilla knew I loved you, and Diana has been trying to match us since I broke that slate over your head."

"She has?!" Gilbert said surprised.

Anne smiled widely "It's the quiet ones you need to look out for you know Gil." Anne took a sigh, "Can we drop by Patty's place? I want to pick up a few things."


	6. Chapter 6

Hi there folks thanks again for the wonderful comments I've received its been lovely...

Yes Cohabitation and/or premarital relations were quite common back then, I think we see them all prim and proper which is of course how they wanted to be seen I saw no harm in this Anne and Gilbert sharing... yes this would make Anne 27 and Gil at least 29... so... that just speaks for itself really...

Sorry a little later then has been... life was hectic yesterday and today but its been nice...

* * *

Late Thursday evening (or was it Friday morning by now?) Gilbert finished his day at the hospital. He had had a Jonah a day and he missed Anne terribly. He hadn't seen her since Monday morning when she had left for school. He knew she wouldn't be home every night and he suppose she wanted him to concentrate on his work rather than her which was understandable but four days was far too long, how did he ever manage for 5 years!? What he wished for more than anything tonight was to hold her again and he knew he could easily fall asleep with Anne in his arms. It was dark when he entered the apartment he was too tired to even bother taking notice of his surroundings. He did notice however the bedroom door ajar. He heart thumped in his chest as he approached the door. 'Oh please please please let her be on the other side?' he thought to himself. He entered to find a candle a lit beside the bed running low and a tiny figure of Anne curled up in his bed. He took a sigh of relief as he took his clothes off then dressed quickly in his night clothes careful not to wake the sleeping beauty. He slipped into bed with her which made her stir her eyes opening.

"Hey beautiful, I didn't mean to wake you." He whispered.

She smiled sweetly and moved a little over to give him more room. "Gil."

He lay beside her and left his arms open for her to slide into a hug which she did.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I missed you I just wanted to feel close to you again."

"You don't need to apologise for being here." He told her gently. "I've had a Jonah day I'm so glad you are." He said holding her into him.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked him.

"You don't need to worry about it love, I'm alright now you are here, you just go back to sleep." He told her.

"If you're sure, I don't want you hiding your thoughts from me Gil, if you really need to talk about them, it's better to get it out in the open."

He took a sigh. "I don't want to seem ungrateful." He told her.

She breathed a laugh "I'm sure you're not, but tell me anyway then I can make a fair assessment."

Gilbert thought for a moment before he continued. "I have been given this amazing opportunity at the hospital to be a senior surgeon before I turn 35." He sighed. "I graduated top of my class for a reason and I want to save all the lives I can. Do as much good as I can." He sighed. "I requested a women be administrated into the hospital over a week ago for some surgery. The administration didn't accept it then today she came in through the emergency room, I tried to save her but I couldn't, a week ago I could have saved her, the operation would have been successful but it was too late." He sighed. "How is this making use of my skills Anne? If I had been her community doctor I could have saved her. This happens time and time again and all they tell me is to be careful where I use my knife, like one human life is worth more than another. I thought I knew that surgery was the best way for me but I find that I live for the time I spend in the emergency room or in the walk in clinic because I get to help real people who need our help."

He fell silent. Anne was worried, she'd never heard him like this before. "Has it always been like this Gil?" She asked him sitting up and looking at him.

"I can't stand the internal politics of the place." He said. "I don't even mind just surgery really, you know because I am doing some good but…" he trailed.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"What about us?" He asked her. "I mean our future family. I could provide easily being a surgeon, it seems so selfish to walk away now."

Anne reached for him playing with the curls in his hair. "Gil." She whispered. "Look at me." She requested. He looked for the first time into the eyes of his fiancée. "One day, very soon, you are going to make a fantastic father." She told him. "You will provide for us and take care of us, I know you far too well to doubt that." She told him. "How you do it, isn't down to how much money you make. We could be on a paupers wage and still be happy." She told him. "Do you want to raise our children here in Kingsport?" She asked him.

"I always thought our children would be Islanders like we are." He admitted.

She smiled at the compliment, she always knew Gilbert thought of her as an islander, it was nice to hear him reaffirm it. "Gil, do you WANT to be a top surgeon, set aside your natural talent for a moment, set aside the expectations is it what you want "

He sighed. "All those years imagining what it would be like being a doctor, every time it was working within a community on the island with a home and family and friends and you. I want to be a community doctor. I want to help people, REAL people who needs my help and I don't want to be here, I want to be back home." He admitted as if he was ashamed of such a dream.

"Then that's what we'll do." She said.

"But Anne, we won't have a lot to start with sweetheart. I mean I have savings but…"

"We will manage because we have each other, do we need anything else to start with?" she asked him.

He smiled gently "you're always so romantic Anne."

"But we don't need anything else and I have savings too, we can make it work." She told him.

He lay speechless for a moment looking into Anne's eyes. "Anne, are you sure?" he asked.

"I want to go home too, we can do this, There's only another couple of weeks until the end of term I can hand in my notice tomorrow, we can go home for the summer and find a nest to build." She said snuggling back into him. "Is it what you want?"

He gasped in delight. "I…" He trailed thinking on it. That had been the dream, what was he doing working in a hospital? He wanted to be a community doctor. He could still do surgeries.

"You don't have to answer immediately love." She told him. "Just think about it a while we can make a decision then."

He kissed her gently. "Anne.." He whispered finally lying down snuggling in her "You don't know what this means to me."

She smiled. "I think I have a fair idea."

He took a sigh of relief. "How are you doing this Anne? I'm feeling more and more like myself ever since I first saw you seven weeks ago."

She smiled "Right back at you." She whispered.

He held her into him. "I love you Anne Shirley, thank you for tonight love."

"I love you Gilbert Blythe." She whispered.

"Good night sweetheart have a sweet slumber." He whispered.

"You too my love." She returned.

* * *

He woke the next morning to both a familiar and unfamiliar smell. Familiar because it smelled of home his mother cooking breakfast as she let him sleep longer than necessary again and unfamiliar because he knew he wasn't home in Avonlea but in Kingsport with his fiancée sleeping next to him. He reached out for her and was confused a moment longer when he didn't find her there and the dreamy smell of bacon didn't disperse upon gaining full consciousness. He stirred himself out of bed putting in a robe he opened his bedroom door surprised at the full sight before him.

Anne was standing over the stove clearly cooking food. He scratched his head at the changes he had to take in all at once. He didn't have bacon in or sausages and was that eggs she was breaking into the frying pan? But his mind quite wandered from the question of food when he looked around his apartment. He didn't recognise any of the pretty items in the room. It wasn't that they were unwelcome, no in fact it made his apartment look like a home! A blue and white blanket thrown across the back of the sofa a couple of pretty embroidered cushions, flowers pretty flowers on the coffee table and a few photo frames. Anne turned and saw him looking round the room.

" morning handsome." She said with a smile. "I was wanting to make you breakfast in bed." She told him, " I'll have to settle with breakfast."

He looked in amazement around him. "Anne!"

"Oh you don't mind do you? You said it needed a women's touch." She said.

"Mind? It looks lovely. Anne! It looks like… a… home!" he exclaimed.

Anne smiled. "You like it?" she asked him.

He nodded slightly. "What are the pictures?" he asked walking over to them. The first he came to was a picture of Charlie and him standing next to the ferry before they headed to Redmond, Anne had insisted on the picture of the two before they left the island. He looked at his best friends face. He hadn't seen Charlie in such a long time. His best friend! He gave a faint grin and moved to the next picture. Another picture of him and his parents in front of the ferry. Gilbert standing in the middle of them grinning widely. He looked to his mother and noticed despite her smile she looked sad in her eyes. He had known that day his mother would miss him, but it hit him again he hadn't been back to the Island in five years, his mother only venturing over to Kingsport twice as the journey upset her. Him promising both times to 'come home soon'. He never had followed through on those promises. The next was of Anne's and Gilbert's last evening at AVIS, Anne and Gilbert centred in the middle with the rest of the team smiling around them everyone's arms around each other's. Another pang hit his stomach. His friends. His lovely and wonderful friends. The last picture frame surprised him a bit. It was a picture of Anne and him the day before they had started teaching. He remembered posing for it his mother had insisted Gilbert put his arm around Anne, he remembered his heart had been pounding hard against his chest but Anne had been so natural her head just touching his chest as she smiled into the camera, the younger Gilbert pulling the best relaxed smile he could. Had his mother sent Anne that picture all those years ago? He had forgotten about it until he saw it again in front him.

" I thought some reminders of the island would cheer you up." She said to him putting the breakfast on the plate.

"They are wonderful. I can't believe you had all of these." He said looking at them again.

"Well either had me in them or I took them." She said, bringing over the breakfast for him.

"Where did you get?..." He trailed.

"I restocked your cupboard for you, properly. There's enough in there for at least a couple of weeks, even some green gables specials Marilla sent over."

Gilbert smiled. "Tastes of the Island." He said with an excited tone. "Thank you Anne, honestly this is all wonderful." He looked at the cushions "Can I sit on the cushions or are they like Miss Ada's?"

Anne laughed "You can sit on them all you like." She said cheerful "I did the needlework myself… it just goes to show I can do something half decent when I have the patience!"

"Beautifully done." He said approving. They sat on the sofa together. "You know Anne, about what we talked about last night…" he trailed a moment to catch her eye. "I think you might be right my love. I'm an Island boy, I want to go home. I miss ma and pa and don't tell him I said so but I even miss Charlie." He said with a smile. "You don't think I'll be throwing my potential away do you? Being a real community doctor?"

"I think you just answered your own question." She told him. "You said 'real' community doctor. Are you not a real doctor now? You achieved far beyond what most doctors aspire to in a lifetime in a matter of a couple of years. Do you think it would be throwing away your talent?"

"No, no I don't." He admitted. "I'm scared this is all happening quite quickly though, I mean I don't want people thinking I'm throwing my life away on a girl."

Anne smiled. "On me. You think people will think its MY opinion and you are submitting?" she asked.

"Yes. When I know that's not it. I'm just finding the real Gil back here, in the back and beyond of the consciousness, he was always in there and always not happy because he isn't doing what he wants to do."

"So does it matter what other people will think?" She asked him.

"Oh. Well I suppose not." He admitted. "It's what I want to do." He said as if he was fully realising it for the first time. "It's what I want. I want it." He repeated again. "Anne, if you are sure about going back to the island? Starting my career all over again?"

"Yes I'm sure my love. What kind of home could we have if you were truly unhappy? We couldn't have a happy home." She replied.

He took a deep breath "I'm doing this!" he said with a glint in his eyes. "I'm going to hand in my notice. Tell them I'm leaving in a couple of weeks. Then my love we can go home!"

* * *

"Doctor Blythe might we have a word?" he was asked as he sat doing some paperwork in his office.

"Of course Sir." Gilbert said quite surprised the Head of Administration at the Hospital come to his office.

He handed over the letter of resignation Gilbert had handed in earlier. "I don't know if I can accept this Doctor Blythe."

Gilbert dropped his pen looking in astonishment. "why what's wrong with it?"

"Its not the letter itself. I have to wonder, why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Sir, I want to go home, I haven't been back in 5 years."

"Then take a holiday have some respite and come back ready to start again." He said,

"No, it's more than that. I want to go back to the Island to stay." Gilbert said.

"There's a girl in there somewhere, isn't there?"

"She's not the reason why I'm making this decision. I think it would have happened sooner or later…"

"but she made it sooner, she's forcing you to…"

"She's doing no such thing its not her style." He took a sigh "I'm known her since I was thirteen years old. She was the first person I ever told I wanted to be a doctor, we studied for it we started university together, she's never been anything but supportive of me being a doctor, if my dream was to stay here she would stay. ."

"are you sure about that? The female kind can be persuasive."

Gilbert felt a stir of anger within him "she would follow me to the moon if its what I really wanted, she's my best friend."

"And now she's more?" He asked.

"We're engaged." Gilbert admitted. "This is right, this is the right thing to do. I haven't been myself here, I'm only just finding myself again but this is right I know it is."

"Gil…" he started.

"I'm doing this." He said with his old determined spirit. "You can't sway me."

The administrator took a sigh "I hope it's the right one Gilbert. I do like you."

"Thank you. I know it is." The administrator left. He took a heavy sigh and tried to concentrate on his work. He knew it was pointless there as only one way to resolve the conflict he was feelings.

* * *

Finally after the exams were marked! Anne s head hit her desk as she took in a sigh of relief. Full passes within the school and now she just had to wait for the Queens results. Anne heard a knock on her door without looking up she called "come in." The door clicked open

"am I interrupting a nap?" she heard her fiancée say as he entered the room closing the door behind him.

Her head shot up seeing him standing there she smiled enthusiastically she stood from her seat and walked over to him. "of course not." She smiled wrapping her arms around his neck he put his arms around her drawing her into a kiss. " what an unexpected pleasure." She said as he pulled away for a moment before they kissed again.

"I have something I have to ask you." He told her resuming the kissing

" yes!" She exclaimed as he kissed her again.

"emmm Anne can we be serious for a moment?" he asked her pulling away slightly.

"of course dearest." She said looking at him concerned. She sat them on the two comfortable chairs in her office.

He took a breath. " what would you say if i said I've changed my mind? That I want to stay here in Kingsport, not live on the island?"

Anne looked confused for a moment. " Oh!" She exclaimed quietly. She seemed speechless for a few moments before she started to speak again. "well..." She thought outloud "we couldn't stay in your apartment forever there wouldn't be space once a little one came along so maybe we could find somewhere with some spirit somewhere close to the hospital..." she thought for a moment as Gilbert gazed on her in amazement... no questioning why he changed his mind just acceptance and adjusting if plans "...maybe you know we could have one or two babies rather then the multitude we wanted... but of course we still have a little time before we would absolutely have to have children maybe I could work a little longer to..."

Anne didn't get to finish her sentence Gilbert lips came crashing onto her catching her up in passion he knelt before her as he kissed bringing her closer. "Oh my Anne! My wonderful Anne I knew it, I knew it I shouldn't have doubted..."

Anne looked at him stunned. "knew what dearest?" she questioned.

" the administrator at the hospital asked me why I wanted to go and figured out I was leaving to be with a girl, he had me doubting my love, not that you loved me but that you would stay if I asked you to. When he walked in I was so sure if it... then by the time he left..." Gilbert trailed. " but I knew you would stay if I asked you to!"

" I'm confused." She stated. " do you want to stay?" she asked.

" no, no of course not sweetheart." He said holding her face close to his. " we're going home my love just as we wish."

She took a sigh of relief " well of course I won't pretend I'm not glad. But you know how to scare a girl."

" I'm sorry." He apologised "it won't happen again." He said capturing her lips again. "I love you." He breathed.

"I love you too." She said sweetly. She smiled and looked into his eyes "a week tomorrow my love, I'll be your wife."

"I can't wait!" He said his eyes lighting up. " I'm so glad we found each other again."

Anne smiled seeing only the boy who had pulled on her pigtails, but instead of hating him the warmth of love filled her soul. " me too my love. Me too."

* * *

I think next chapter will be their wedding...


	7. Chapter 7

Every girl dreams of their wedding day. Or at least in Anne's opinion they did. Alright so it wasn't at Green Gables like she had thought since she was eleven and Marilla said she could stay. However (although she had never admitted it in her youth), she always knew deep down inside it was Gilbert she had wanted to marry. The problem had been marrying up Gilbert with her romantic ideal and the silly little girl had refused to change her ideals even though they had stood in front of her almost on a daily bases, with those eyes, those beautiful hazel eyes begging to be loved. He never swayed. No, not once, and to Anne's amazement not even when she rejected him and he felt no hope of ever seeing her again he hadn't even swayed in the seven years past. She knew now, she knew how much he loved her, burying himself with work, promotions and endless hours working at the hospital had been a futile attempt to suppress the real Gil. But now! Oh now! Her Gilbert! She readied herself slipping into the dress she had chosen to be married in, no it wasn't a wedding dress, but it was an off white evening dress which Gilbert had never seen her in. It clung to her body with the silk and the lace, it was a pretty dress, and Patty had even given Anne her veil in years gone by Patty had almost been a bride herself never quite letting go of the old veil, it was Anne's to keep so Anne had updated it a little.

There was a knock downstairs shortly followed by her name being called. She came down the stairs to a delivery some boxed flowers. She looked confused wondering what they could be, she looked to the card.

 _To MY bride Anne, on OUR wedding day. Thank you for loving me, see you soon love Gil._

Her heart melted to a puddle! Her Gil was sooo romantic! How had she never seen it before! She opened the box to find 24 pink roses arranged in a beautiful circle.

"Oh Gil!" She exclaimed, overcome with romance. She had arranged no flowers for the day, she resolved to carry them today! She looked to the clock, one hour to go!

* * *

He untied his cravat again! This was the sixth time he had tied it then untied it the knot never looking right! What was the matter with his fingers today! He was shaking like a leaf! Quivering in delight at the very thought of Anne Shirley being his wife. He could cut inches away from the heart without breaking a sweat, he frequently operated near the lungs and stomach, didn't even flinch. Remind himself he was marrying the most beautiful and sweetest women he had ever met, turned the confident Gilbert Blythe into what must be an insecure teen who wanted nothing but said girls attention just for a minute so he could get to know her, so that she would like him. He chuckled at the memory. Such a long time ago! Here he was 16 years later! Well that turned out as you planned didn't it?! He told himself sarcastically, but thankfully today was not a day for regret or longing for past years, today was about their future, their lives starting forever together. In the meantime, while he waited to become married he was in an unnatural state of being so close yet so far! It was making him nervous as never before. He took another breath and made another attempt at his tie, he looked at the clock, 1 hour to go!

* * *

Gilbert stood outside of city hall waiting for Anne. His smart suit had a single pink rose in the button hold his appearance as ever smart, he wore a grey suit his cravat being pink, if he knew Anne at all she would be carrying those pink roses as a wedding bouquet. His heart racing in his chest, was he suppose to be this nervous? Taking deep breaths he paced back and forward on the top step. It was to him she was coming in the sweet surrender of the bride! HIM! Was he worthy of her? Could he make her as happy as he hoped? If he failed her—if he could not measure up to her standard of manhood—then his thoughts interrupted by the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Anne stood at the bottom of the steps in the most beautiful dress he had ever seen! He couldn't tell nor did he care that it wasn't a wedding dress. Her hair half up in a twist the other half flowing down her back. In her hand she held his flowers he had sent her. His bride! Their eyes met and all doubt was swept away in a glad certainty. They belonged to each other; and, no matter what life might hold for them, it could never alter that. Their happiness was in each other's keeping and both (very suddenly) were unafraid. He came to her hand and took it in his.

"Dr Blythe its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding." She mocked reprimanded him as they started to walk up the steps.

"When the bride is such a beautiful prize how could I resist?" he asked her charming her "and are brides not suppose to be late for their wedding?" he said in return.

"Well when the groom is such a handsome prize..." she smiled at him in return as they reach the top of the steps. "Well we've broken a few rules of courtship and engagement..." She smiled.

"Can't hurt to break a few more." he grinned widely. He turned towards her. "You look stunning my love." He whispered gently. "Tell me Anne am I worthy of such a prize?"

"Don't you ever doubt it." She whispered back. "You deserve more."

"No, no my love there IS no greater prize. You are my angel and I love you... be my wife Anne?" he said taking her in arm.

She smiled and nodded her head. "Yes! Yes please my love."

He smiled again and held her closer, "Lets make it a reality."

They looked to each other throughout the ceremony. To them, it didn't matter that there was no one else there, BECAUSE there was only THEM. The words spoken, the vows made were holy in nature to them. Their hearts sang in a melody heard and felt by only them, nothing could have made this moment more perfect. For Gilbert was marrying Anne, and Anne was marrying Gilbert.

"You may kiss the bride." The words finally came; no other sentence he had ever heard gave him such joy.

"Are you ready for your first kiss Mrs Blythe?" he teased as their mouths were inches apart she smiled in the glow of martial vows, their undying love sealed now, NOW she bore his name! Nothing had ever FELT like this before. She nodded mere milliseconds before his lips captured hers!

* * *

He carried her through the door of his apartment. One o'clock in the afternoon and he was married! Anne was his bride, a day of little significance to anyone but them! But it was theirs! He placed her gently on the floor and reached to her hair gently taking out the veil he placed it on the coffee table and silently started to kiss her. He untangled the rest of her hair letting it all tumble down her back.

Gently they held each other at some point it was carried through to the bedroom as they became one. Anne could barely believe the sweet murmuring of her husband as he held her. But she knew by the sound in his voice they were sincere, that he had probably been holding them in for years.

"I have you Anne, I'll protect you, I'll keep you safe, you have nothing to fear, I love you more than anything, you're so beautiful I love you, Anne I love you." The words whispered, she wasn't even sure he fully knew he was saying them. The last four words repeated in a mantra over and over which made Anne shiver in delight she closed her eyes enjoying the stirrings they made. The combination of his gentleness in word and actions sent more shivers in quicker succession one after another after another until her happiness became a bliss which engulfed her entire being, she couldn't help the gasp and the whimpering of his name which escaped her.

She looked at Gilbert blushing expecting him to be disgusted, instead his eyes were wide and expressed such joy, she couldn't believe the words which were being expressed in his eyes. Finally more than a gasp hit him, he cried out in a way Anne knew was pleasure, she watched as he relaxed in a way she had never seen before her name repeated on his lips again and again his breathing became so ragged she thought he wouldn't ever catch it again he held her so close yet his eyes remained fixed above her before they fluttered shut as he shuddered.

As they held each other in the glow Anne looked at her husband to see water escaping his eyes.

"Gil, you're crying." She whispered concerned.

"I am, but they are tears of joy." He told her holding her closer to him. "A little over eight weeks ago I had no hope of you my love and now…!" he kissed into her neck again. "..my love, I have you! We are each other's just as we always should have been." He looked at her gently for a moment. "Did you…" he trailed not sure he should even ask her the question about making love.

"Did I?" she questioned.

His face went pink as he blushed. "What I mean to ask is, did I… hurt you at all?" he asked her.

"When?" She asked confused.

"When!" he exclaimed bursting into laughter. "When!?" She looked innocently at him. "Okay you're being serious…" he shuffled a little and looked her in the eyes. "Sometimes when a man…" he blushed he couldn't believe he was the one having THIS conversation with her! Did no one warn girls about this kind of thing? "…enters a women, particularly the first few times…" a look of recognition came to her face as she realised what he meant "…he can sometimes unintentionally hurt her…" he said then whispered "…down there." She seemed stunned. "I take it I didn't hurt you if you have no idea what I'm going on about."

"Is it meant to?" She asked him.

"Opinions vary on the topic, from what I understood about it from medical school and some of the extra-curricular talks… I drew the conclusion that if a man was gentle enough and careful to his lovers needs it need not hurt and in fact be as pleasurable for her as it is for him." He looked nervously at her.

She smiled shyly at him blushing. "It was definitely not painful and I…" She blushed deeply "in fact enjoyed it…" she took a deep breath and whispered "a lot." She finished.

"Re- really?!" he said in a happy surprise.

"What was the feeling I had from down there?" she asked him "it made me want to move more while you were…" she trailed blushing "…its what made me…" she blushed remember the whimper of his name. She listened as he whispered it to her, describing it in more detail to her.

"Did you?" he asked.

She smiled and blushed nodding.

Relief crashed over Gilbert's whole being. "Thank heavens." He said with a sigh. "I'll…emmm try to continue in a likewise manner." He said with a wink.

"I hope so." She giggled as she kissed him again. "Oh love!" she whispered sweetly. "I'm so sorry what I have put you through! I do love you, so very very much!"

"I know!" he said with a knowing smile kissing into her forehead, it covered in tiny droplets of sweat leaving a sweet salt taste on his lips. He looked to her eyes which were now also home to the escaping waters of tears. "Anne my sweet please don't forget these past five years might have been so different had I come back to Avonlea, our separation wasn't entirely your fault." He reassured her. "If I had stayed that summer, even for a little while longer, we would have seen each other and talked and I would have found out you were single…" he kissed her gently "…I would have felt a tiny bit of hope…" he kissed her again "…and being the romantic fool I am, I would have proposed AGAIN!…" he smiled at her, the smile was returned by her smiling too. "It doesn't matter, we ARE together now!" he said with the biggest most satisfied grin Anne had ever seen on his face. "This is all that matters." He paused as he kissed her again. "Mrs Anne Blythe!" he exclaimed then shivered with delight!

"mmmm" she murmured in delight as he nuzzled into her. They remained there a while, when Gilbert suddenly looked up at the bedside clock.

"Oh good its only three o'clock." He said satisfied relaxing back again

"Oh?" She asked him. "Why is the time important dear husband?" she asked him.

"I may have reserved us at a fancy restaurant to celebrate." He said with a full smile.

"Gilbert Blythe! You didn't?" she asked him.

"I most certainly did!" he said happily. "I know you'll like the food there." He said confidently.

She smiled at him wondering how he could know with such confidence. "What time?" She asked him.

"Five." He told her.

"Is it far?" She asked him.

"no not really about ten minutes away." He asked. "why?" he asked looking at her.

She blushed, smiled and bit her bottom lip. "If you like?" she said to him.

He blushed further "I really did hit the jackpot didn't I?" he said as he took her in his arms again. "Can we kiss a while love, I think I need a few more minutes before…" he trailed.

"Of course." She smiled.

"My wife!" He whispered as he started to kiss her longingly once more.

* * *

"Table reservation for Doctor and Mrs Blythe." Gilbert smiled as they waited to be seated, holding Anne a little tighter in his arm. HIS Mrs Blythe! What a glorious sound to his ears, especially as it was relating to Anne! His Anne! Anne Blythe!

"Of course, this way." The waiter said.

Anne smiled as they made their way to the table. "You assumed I'd say 'I do'." Anne smiled flirting.

"What else were you going to say to this." He said with a wink.

"You'll never change will you?" She said with a sweet and quiet laugh.

"Do you want me to dearest?" He asked with nymph like grin.

"Of course not and you know it." She smiled.

"Life has suddenly got very exciting Anne." He said with a smile. "You, going home, starting my own practice, finding us a nest and maybe one day soon starting a family?" he questioned.

She looked at him to see a nervous look on his face, she suppose they had mentioned having a family, always in passing, but he was right, those could hardly be called plans. "No need to question it Gil, of course I want a family with you." She smiled.

"Would you… I mean… we could start trying immediately? If you wanted." He whispered so no one heard their newlywed plans.

Anne smiled and blushed. "If that is your desire, I always wanted… a family."

"Yes?" Gilbert questioned in a whisper and smile, he had known this of course their unusually close friendship before his failed marriage proposal had been very close, he knew she had always wanted a family, but if she wanted one with him was a different matter, would she find him worthy of being a father?

"Yes." Anne confirmed. "I don't see the point in delaying it." She said to him.

Relief crashed over him. He barely could believe how lucky he truly was, no one had this sort of luck did they?

She smiled. "We made a good start on it this afternoon I would say." She said with a slight blush and a flirty voice Gilbert thought was the most desirable sound he had ever heard.

"I'll say!" He exclaimed quietly.

Anne laughed as his cheeks turned a light pink. "You are adorable when you blush you know. How did I never notice it before?" She questioned

"Blind as a bat." He said with a cocky air about him still blushing. "Still as beautiful." He said. They paused looking at the menu and order their foods and drinks, their hands slid across the table to hold each other. They were caught in a marital gaze where there was no one in the room but them, the other quiet voices in the room faded into the background the room around them dazed away until there was no one but them. A sweet spirit rested between them. They were loved, and by the very person their hearts had desired. "Are you looking forward to going home?" He asked her as their food was placed in front of them.

"Oh I long for the Island, I know in present company I have no right to even think like that, I was only there at Christmas." She laughed "My how much has changed!" she looked to him "Did you decide? Are you going to tell your parents you are coming?" she asked him.

He gave a cheeky grin. "I figured I would surprise them completely, turn up on the doorstep." He said.

"You'll give them a heart attack!" Anne rolled her eyes. "Well Marilla and Rachel aren't expecting me back until Monday, so we could spend what is left of Saturday with your parents and then head up there late Monday."

"Perfect heathens are we? What about church?" He asked her.

"Oh." She said realising. "I hadn't thought about that, I suppose just once it won't hurt to miss."

He smiled. "Well good, I suppose all those hours working in the hospital on a Sunday won't cast me out of heaven." He chuckled.

"No I don't suppose you would have gone to church very often?" She questioned.

"When I had a few spare minutes on a Sunday I made it down to the chapel in the hospital. They don't exactly build in hours for Sunday worship."

"No I suppose not." Anne thought for him. She shook out of the seriousness, "So do you think they'll be glad to let us both stay with them?" Anne asked him.

Gilbert smiled "Of course they'll be happy to, Anne they love you."

"Ohhh I don't know about that!" Anne told him honestly. "Your mother hasn't spoken to me since she found out I said no all those years ago. I don't think she'll ever forgive me."

"And you don't think that accepting me and being married to me won't change their minds?" he asked her and looked so uncertain of herself for a minute Gilbert couldn't believe it. "Anne." He said quietly "They love you. You'll see."

* * *

 **And there we have another chapter! I hope this one wasn't disappointing for anyone, thank you all so much for continuing to follow and comment it's really a morale booster when you do. These last couple of weeks its been particular difficult to write so it really is helping all the kind words! Next time…. They go home… and face the music!**


	8. Chapter 8

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I'm not updating all my stories this week but I have published a new one just to make up for the fact! Stay with me people!

love Carrots

* * *

"Ma? Pa? Are you here?" Gilbert called going in alone at first to his childhood home. His mother not busy in the kitchen he didn't see his father out in the fields. It was perfect for him to say hello to them if they were home. He left Anne out on the veranda promising to come back in a few minutes.

"Gilbert?!" he heard his mother's amazed tone from the parlour and footsteps closely followed. She stood at the kitchen door for a moment as she looked at her son in front of her. "My boy!" she said running to his arms crying into them.

"Ma!" he said choking back the emotions he was feeling. His mother! His own mother! How could he have put her through the last 7 years!? "I'm here, it's alright." He looked up to see his father standing casually against the door, an amazed but equally as happy expression on his face.

"How? When? Why?!" his mother pulled away astonished looking at him touching his face to make sure he was real.

"I erm decided it was long overdue to come and see you." He said with a wide smile ,"I wanted to surprise you so I caught the ferry and walked from the train station. You don't mind do you? I am still welcome here?" he asked tentatively.

"Of course you are this is your home!" his mother said pulling him in again.

A little laugh escaped his mouth as he secured his arms around her "I missed you ma." He whispered "I love you." He told her.

"I love you too Gil." She told him. "Oh you're home! I must do your favourite dinner." She said muttering around the kitchen.

"Ma..." he started

"Is it still beef stew?... oh I know its summer but to want to spoil you, oh you know I have some apples still in preserve... I can do Apple and cinnamon pie for you... oh your bedroom! I should air it a little..." she started as if to leave the kitchen to go upstairs but he held her back by his arm.

"Ma, there's something you and pa should know first." He said to her quite serious looking briefly to his father too.

"What is it?" she asked him.

He let out a nervous sigh and cleared his throat. "Here sit down, both of you." He requested. They moved towards the kitchen table sitting round it. "Well you see something has changed and you need to know. Nine weeks ago, the women of my dreams walked into my life." He said teasing out the moment a little. "She's intelligent, funny, sweet, kind and loving… well our relationship from the first moment I saw her nine weeks ago has been incredible and easy and so loving." He took the breath he needed. He looked up at his parents, the shock on their faces were obvious he hadn't even got as far as that yet. "You see it's been so good, so perfect, that in fact last Saturday we eloped." He said quietly.

His parents looked stunned, at first Gilbert thought they weren't going to say anything. Then his mother stood quickly.

"You married a Kingsport Girl?!" She exclaimed. "Oh Gilbert Blythe how could you?! She'll take you off the island forever! You can't know her well enough you've known her ... what nine weeks!..." his mother trailed as he stood up.

"Ma, before you say something you regret, you should maybe meet her, she's out on the veranda." He said to her offering his arm.

His parents looked at him sceptically. However Mrs Blythe took her son's arm and moved with him, her husband just behind them.

He moved slowly to finish his sentence, "Maybe I should have been clearer when I said she 'walked into my life,' I should have maybe said 'walked **_back_** into my life'." He said opening the door offering his mother to go through first. His mother looked confused at her son's words and walked through the door.

She turned on the veranda to meet the familiar red head standing nervously on the other end of the veranda.

"Hello again, Mrs Blythe." Anne said with a shaken voice.

Gilbert father now could see it was Anne on the other side of the veranda looked to Gilbert. "You did it!" John said amazed. "You actually did it."

"Ma, pa, I'd like to introduce you to my wife. Mrs Anne Blythe." He said with a wide grin and pride brimming over.

Mrs Blythe ran towards Anne wrapping her arms around her. "Anne, Anne! Oh thank the stars its you!" she said in relief. "Oh I wanted you two oh so much to marry! Since you were young un's, I couldn't see a way! Oh but providence! Sweet Providence!" She said crying into Anne's shoulder. "How!?" she said coming up looking back and forth from Anne to Gilbert.

"Maybe I can explain better inside." Gilbert said with a grin.

His mother looked in amazement as she walked past her son holding her husband's arm, she looked back to see Gilbert offering his arm to Anne she came forward and took it, she saw a look past between the two, there was no doubt about it, Gil was still in love with Anne and something more important passed between them… Anne was definitely in love with her son!

* * *

They all sat on the parlour. As they came to rest Mrs Blythe asked "so how did you two meet again?"

"Well it was nine weeks ago." He started holding his wife's hand.

"And I broke my arm coming down some stairs at school." Anne said subconsciously looking at the previously injured arm. "I went to the walk in clinic at the hospital to get it seen to."

"Where I was doing my mandatory shift." Gilbert smiled looking smitten at his wife.

"Gil fixed my arm and we got to talking." Anne returned the gaze and smile.

"And we couldn't keep away from each other." Gilbert said with a small laugh eyes firmly on his wife with adoring eyes.

"Well see we got to taking about what had happened..." Anne explained tentively. "The mistake I made..."

"Mistakes we've both made." He corrected her. He looked to his mother in particular whose face said it all... right then she did think it all Anne's fault. "Yes mother, mistakes we've both made. I was running away from my feelings and you know it, if I had been a man and faced it... I would have..."

"No Gil, sweetheart, Mrs Blythe please..." Anne stated knowing what his mother must think

"Anne no!" Gilbert objected holding her hands tighter "don't!"

"But it is my fault, you never would be running away if it hadn't been for me." She told him.

"We all make mistakes." John spoke at last, "none of us are immune to it. What's important is that we correct them, otherwise we'll carry them for a lifetime. You've clearly both made amends to each other, that's all that matters. No point in laying blame when it's already been forgiven." He paused "isn't that right dear?" he said directing it to his wife.

She paused before she said anything. "Yes, yes of course John you are right." She said with a sigh. "No blame." She said putting her hands on top of her sons and Anne's hands.

"When we talked I proposed." Gilbert continued the narrative.

Mrs Blythe looked in wonder at her son then back to Anne. "Why did you not come home to get married?" She asked them.

"Ma it would have been… everyone would have their opinions and demands we just wanted to love each other, without people sticking their noses in. We just wanted to be together."

Mrs Blythe sighed "Well I suppose it was a small price to pay to see you both so happy." She said sweetly, "but say you'll let us celebrate?" she asked them.

"Of course!" Anne laughed "we were planning on throwing a party at green gables, once I've broken the news to Marilla, Rachel and the twins."

"You haven't told them yet either?" Mrs Blythe asked.

"No." Gilbert said. "Speaking of which, Marilla isn't expecting Anne home until Monday, is it okay if she…" Gilbert started

"Oh of course! I suppose you'll be too tired to go to church tomorrow it's a long journey" Mrs Blythe said.

"I know its exciting we're here and our news but please don't leak either to anyone tomorrow." Gil asked "We really do want to tell Marilla first."

"Of course you do of course! I won't breathe a word!" Mrs Blythe said. "You MUST stay here at least for a little while! Oh Gilbert your bed… I mean its only a three quarter bed, do you want me to get the spare one?..." She started.

Gilbert smiled. "No ma, my bed will be just fine there's plenty of room in there for Anne. We'll just have an excuse to snuggle if there's a problem." He said with a cheeky grin. Which made his father chuckle and his mother sit straighter.

"So you're finished for the summer then Anne You were teaching weren't you?" John asked trying to piece together what was happening over the long term.

"Oh yes, I was teaching but I won't be returning to the ladies college." Anne admitted. "I handed in my notice."

"Oh?" John asked.

"You see…" Gil started. "When we became engaged we talked about what it was we wanted to do where we wanted to go and base ourselves." He started to explain. "Well neither one of us wanted to be away from the Island. So I handed my notice in at the hospital." Gilbert admitted. His mother looked like she was going to burst with joy. "We've given ourselves the summer to look for a nest, we were wondering…" he trailed.

"… between here and Green Gables…" Anne interjected.

"If we might stay the summer. Just until we can get settled to our own home." He said trying to be reassuring to his parents.

"Oh of course you can, well I can't speak for green gables but I doubt Marilla would have any objections."

"I'm looking to set up my own practice." Gilbert said quietly.

"You know your Uncle is still looking to retire he's awfully run down." John suggested. "The Glen is only 60 miles away and you'd still be on the Island."

Gilbert thought for a moment. "Do you think he would mind a call from his nephew? Sounds an interesting prospect if nothing else." He said looking to Anne to see her nod.

* * *

Nightfall finally came where Mrs Blythe finally let them retire to bed. Gilbert led Anne up the stairs to his bedroom door where he let go of her hand opened the door, put down the small hand bags they had brought with them for the night and went to light the gas lights he was confused when he looked around to see Anne hadn't followed him in the bedroom. "Anne?" he questioned going back to the door. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Anne was blushing a deep red. "That's your bedroom!" She exclaimed quietly.

"Anne?" he said with a chuckle he lowered his voice "you've been sharing my bed for over three weeks now. What difference does this room make?" he asked her.

"Your bedroom in Kingsport wasn't the one you grew up in, I never... imagined what it would be like until I was actually there." She said blushing still.

"You wondered what my bedroom was like?" he asked grinning widely. She blushed some more. "With me in it?" he flirted in her ear. She blushed further, he KNEW her blushes meant yes. He chuckled at "Oh Anne..." He trailed. "You know..." He whispered in her ear bringing her closer "I had such an imagination when it came to you and my bedroom." He kissed her gently leading her just over the threshold of his room. "The things I would do to you..." He said leading her deeper in the room shutting the door with his foot as he kissed her deeper. "Always always in my bed." He moved them over to the side of the bed. "And guess what Anne?" He whispered to her seductively. "I can fulfill..." He said kissing her neck on one side "Every..." kissing her again on her neck on the other side "Single..." He slid his mouth up to her ear before kissing it "Last..." He pulled her close pulling her down on the bed he lay on top of her finally losing his will not to. She shook under his as he gently grunted in delight. THIS was far beyond his imagination! It was reality! THIS was REAL!

**Knock Knock Knock**

They gasped at the interruption their hearts pounding next to each other, he sat them up on the side of the bed covering himself with the blanket which lay next to them, Anne sat beside him composing herself.

"Come in." He called gently.

His mother entered without any clue what she had interrupted. "I forgot to fill the jug for you." She said approaching it. "Its been such a long time, I forgot it completely."

"Thanks mom." He smiled trying to keep as innocent as possible doubling checking he was covered.

His mother looked around. "You might want to pack away some of these things Gilbert, I'm sure Anne can't be comfortable sleeping in the same room as dead insects, half dissected frogs and a real human skull." She said to him.

"Ah Ma, don't talk about Imhotep like that." Gilbert said acting like a teenage boy again.

"I wish you wouldn't name these things. Why I kept them I'll never know." She tutted.

"Because you wouldn't have it any other way." He said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes and exited the room.

They looked to each other and blushed slightly. Anne looked to the skull on the bookshelf. "So, Imhotep?" Anne said walking over to the skull on the bookcase. "As in the father of medicine, Egyptian Imhotep?"

Gilbert smiled. "You know your Egyptian history."

"Oh I remember reading about Egyptian history when I was six, it was in a book which was only ever read by me at the Thomas'." She sighed. "I was fascinated by the story of Cleopatra she was SO Beautiful!"

Gilbert smiled. "Trust you for that." He said with a chuckle.

"Is it a real human skull?" She asked him.

He nodded. "Hmmm." He acknowledged. He took it down and handed it to her. "You can see my fascination with dissecting things paid off in the end. I just wanted to know how they worked, so I got books and experimented." He looked to the skull. "Its one thing to read about it but another thing to touch and feel and see how it works." He said to her.

She smiled. "Yes." She thought outloud. She put the skull back, "yes it is." She kissed him gently. "Like loving someone." She kissed him again, he held her close and kissed her with more passion.

"emmm, yessss!" he whispered between kisses. "Yes… yes yes."

**knock knock knock**

They paused in their kissing and giggled quietly. Before separating back out of the embrace, Anne moving back looking at the bookcase.

"Come in." he called.

His mother entered again and looked at them. "There, water jug filled." She said putting the jug down. "Anne dear are you sure you are already sleeping in this room with such boyish things in it?" She asked her.

Anne smiled "Oh yes." Anne admitted, "I like a few more flowers myself but there's something very Gilberty about his bedroom isn't there?"

His mother smiled. "Yes there is." She admitted outloud knowing inside that was the real reason she hadn't changed anything in the room, despite her son's long absence. "Well night then." She said leaving the room.

"Night Mrs Blythe." Anne said sweetly.

"Night Ma." He said to her as the door closed.

"Well…" Gilbert said taking a sigh, "Bedtime then." He said pointing towards the bed. She picked up her small bag and took the nightdress out of it , they quickly changed into their clothes before Gilbert jumped into bed. "Come on beautiful." He said to her as he saw her blushing looking at him in his bed. She slid in beside him. She blushed at the knowledge the boy she had known had fantasied about her in this very bed. They looked at each other. "I love you Anne." He whispered holding her close.

"I love you Gilbert Blythe." She blushed. He kissed her lightly, as their kissing became deeper they moved closer together, his hands slid under the covers to his wife.

***Knock knock knock***

Gilbert sighed in frustration. "can't a guy catch a break round here." He whispered to Anne, who smiled at him, bringing the covers back up around her. "Come in." He called.

"I just thought, maybe in those little bags you didn't bring towels, so…"

"Mom." He chuckled. "Everything is fine, you don't need to treat us as guests, I'm your son and unless you've done some sort of reorganisation of everything, I know where everything is."

She looked to him. "I know but, you're here!" she exclaimed. "I've missed you so much, I just want everything to be perfect for you."

He smiled and looked at his mother. "I'm home, I married the girl I always wanted to, everything is perfect."

His mother smiled at them and put down the towels. "You were right about that bed, you're lucky your wife is so slender. Plenty of room for you both." She paused. "Shall I turn off the main gas light for you?" She asked.

"Yes, please, thank you ma." He said. She reached up and turned it off for them leaving the candles by the bedside the only source of light in the room. "night ma." He called as she started to leave.

"Goodnight Gil, night Anne." She closed the door. They lay silent for a few moments not sure how to (or even if they should bother trying) start again.

Anne hugged into her husband. "Soooo." She started. "The girl you've always wanted to marry?" she asked him.

He smiled. "You KNOW you are, it was you or no one." He told her gently.

"even after I broke that slate over your head?" She asked him.

He chuckled "ESPECIALLY after you broke the slate over my head, "it made you exciting and unpredictable… I had never unsuccessfully predicted what a girl would do before."

She laughed quietly "And you found that exciting?" she asked with a hint of scepticism in her voice.

"Very **_VERY exciting_**." He said, finally feeling as though they wouldn't be interrupted again he pressed against his wife and kissed into her neck.

* * *

"Well they seemed settled enough." Mrs Blythe said entering her own room with her husband reading on the bed.

"Good." He agreed. "I'm glad its Anne he brought home, mind you I don't think it was ever going to be anyone else."

"He does like to tease, He had me imagining some off island... well its true, it was only going to be Anne wasn't it?" she paused "Oh do you think they want breakfast in the morning…" She started to leave.

"Sweetheart, wait wait." John said chuckling. She stopped and looked at her husband. "You can't go interrupting them again."

"Why not?" She asked him.

"Why?!" John exclaimed laughing. "He has the girl of his dream in the very bedroom he had those dreams of her in, they have only been married a week, what do you think they are doing?" John asked his wife.

She looked confused for a moment then a look of recognition came over her face. "Oh." She said blushing. "Do you think?" she said not really asking, sitting on the bed.

John laughed, "You probably interrupted them what three times already?" he asked watching his wife blush more and more.

"Gilbert doesn't… he didn't… did he?" she asked him.

"He's loved her since he was thirteen years old, what do you think?"

"He… he…" his wife stuttered. "Oh no!" She said hiding her face in her hands then started to giggle herself. "Best leave them alone then."

"I suspect it's for the best. Come to bed love, it's getting late."


	9. Chapter 9

Gilbert was the first one to wake on Monday morning, this wasn't unusual, his body clock still unaccustomed to actually sleeping, he may not sleep for long but he slept well since Anne had come back to him, even better so since they married. He didn't mind waking first it always gave him the chance to study his wife's face, to play with her hair and to imagine the glorious day they should have together! This morning he got to sweep the loose bits of red hair which had fallen over her face during the night away from her face, her hair long and left loose (at his request again, he just _loved_ to play with her hair!) he started weaving his fingers through the lengths careful not to wake her. He grinned gently watching her sleep... here he was in his childhood bed with his childhood dream... Anne! She was every wish fulfilment! She was better then his dreams. This was real... He could barely believe it! Yet since Saturday night he had fulfilled four of his intimate fantasies with her and innumerable other little fantasies he had relating to her around not only his bedroom but around the farm, in the fields. They were especially careful not to be seen the last thing they wanted was to ruin the surprise for Marilla and eventually Diana. So they had very quietly very excitingly peered round every corner snuck behind every secret hiding place to avoid being seen. As exciting as these encounters had been nothing thrilled him more then waking beside her every morning knowing it was no love affair but a loving and long waited for marriage for both of them!

There was a gentle knock at the door, he checked to make sure Anne was covered under the blankets, it didn't matter so much for him his bare chest was hardly something his mother would be concerned about.

"come in." He said quietly.

Mrs Blythe's head came round the door and she smiled at the sight of her son hugged in so sweetly to his wife. "Sorry I didn't think she would be sleeping so late." She whispered

"Its alright, I didn't know it was getting that late." He admitted, "I've only just woken myself a few minutes ago."

"Neither one of you are used to the fresh air of Avonlea anymore, so used to Kingsport air." She whispered back.

Gilbert smiled and looked at his sleeping wife again. "Isn't she beautiful mom?" he said only half questioning his mother the other half admiring his wife so much…

She smiled. "Yes Gilbert she is. You seem to finally have all you desired."

He looked to his mother and smiled. He wasn't quite ready yet to share the dream which had replaced it since he found Anne again. This new dream which was so much more real much more tangible than ever before, of family and friends, cats and dogs and children! Lots and lots of children, a lively home a real home! One he and Anne had built together! How wonderful it could be!

"Breakfast?" His mother asked him. "Fully cooked?" He asked him.

"Ah ma you're spoiling us!" he exclaimed quietly.

"You're going to need more then food to calm you today, time to face Miss Cuthbert about your secret elopement!" She said with a small giggle. "Oh Gilbert it's so romantic!"

"Do you think Miss Cuthbert will take it badly?" Gilbert questioned her.

"Well I don't know the Cuthbert's that well Gilbert surely you should be asking your wife her advice on it?" She said with a wink. "Will Anne want breakfast?"

"I should think so, not as much as yesterday though mom, she so slender I thought she was going to be sick yesterday after she politely ate everything."

"well I'm used to cooking for growing boys!" she said looking again at her son. "you should put a shirt on Gilbert even in the summer you can catch cold." She said as she closed the door behind her.

"Yes Gilbert Blythe, sleeping with your wife with no clothes on is positively indecent." Anne said not opening her eyes.

He looked down and laughed lightly. "How long have you been awake Mrs Blythe?" He asked her.

"Long enough to hear you call me beautiful, to your mother!" she said going a shade of pink.

"How could I help that, you are!" He exclaimed quietly. "Good morning beautiful wife." He said to her as she opened her eyes.

"Good morning, handsome husband." She said in return.

He smiled "I must be good! I get alliteration before breakfast." He leaned into her more his fingers tangled more into her hair.

"You can have far more then alliteration before breakfast Doctor Blythe." She said before he kissed her.

He smiled knowing what she meant but played it out. "Like assonance? Similes? Consonance? " he said teasing her kissing her more passionately between them.

"Gil?" She breathed heavily as he made his way down her neck.

"Metaphors, personification, oxymoron…" He continued.

She laughed listening to him joking. "You're the moron." She joked with him before she went serious. "Just shush now and kiss me."

He smiled and did as she wished.

* * *

"Anne!" Marilla called as she saw Anne walking down the fields towards green gables, "gracious child you must have been on the morning ferry to get here so early!"

"I just had to walk here Marilla!" She called getting closer to green gables, "isn't it a glorious day?!" Anne said finally making it to the veranda.

"Its going to be warm." Marilla said as Anne went to kiss her on the cheek.

"Is Mrs Lynde or the twins in?" Anne asked her.

"Rachel has gone to her church committee this morning and the twins are out, Dora had a sleepover and Davy has gone fishing." Marilla said.

"Good, come for a walk with me Marilla, it won't be a long one, I do so love to walk when it's still cool." Anne said offering her hand to the older lady. Marilla shook her head and smiled fondly at Anne, she of course took the girl's hand and they started walking round the fields. "How was school?"

"Oh I had an eventual last term." Anne said smiling playing with her rings with her thumb on her hand which was free of the link with Marilla. "I broke my arm 9 weeks ago."

Marilla looked at her shocked. "You're a great one for secrets Anne Shirley, why did you not write and tell me?"

"Well it was my right arm you see, made writing quite difficult." She said to Marilla. "I had a very good doctor take care of it for me Marilla, well he was the best one in Kingsport."

"He better have been the doctors bill will be very high." Marilla said practically.

"Well actually, Marilla, the doctor you see, well we fell in love." Anne sputtered out as they started to approach the gate between the Blythe farm and their own.

"You… you what?" Marilla asked her. She looked at Anne's guilty face. "Tell me you did nothing hasty Anne?" Marilla asked her.

"No, no, not at all… well but, I mean I suppose in a way yes we did, but it wasn't hasty Marilla not really, when you consider…"

"Anne…" Marilla said now half expecting the outcome of the sentence. "What did you do?"

Anne went white with fright… was this how Gilbert had felt confronting his parents? She took them a few more steps towards the gate "I want you to meet my husband." She stood Marilla in front of the gate and turned her towards the gate where Gilbert was standing waiting. "Doctor Gilbert Blythe."

Marilla looked in shock first at Gilbert then to Anne then back at Gilbert before she felt the tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them away and talked first to Gilbert.

"You went along with this romantic nonsense of eloping?" Marilla asked him.

"Yes, ma'am." He said quietly.

"You met up again in Kingsport?" Marilla asked Anne.

"Yes." Anne said.

Marilla looked back and forth trying to keep a straight face. "I'd believe such a headlong thing of you Anne but I thought your Gilbert here had a bit more sense."

"Oh Marilla, no." Anne said then blushed slightly as she said quietly "He's quite the romantic under it all." Anne paused looking at Marilla's face.

"Well what's done can't be undone, not that I can say if it could I would want it to be. You two were meant for each other if you ask me." Marilla said trying not to smile but her lips were giving her away to Anne. "And you are both sure this was the best course of action? That you won't regret it in a year or two?"

"Marilla you of all people know how much I love him. I was just too silly to admit it." Anne said to her.

Marilla looked to Gilbert. "I could never regret loving Anne, neither have I for a single second since I fell in love with her."

Marilla looked to Anne then back at Gilbert "Then how could I object."

Anne threw her arms around Marilla and hugged into her "Oh Marilla, Marilla remember when I was little and I wanted to be sublimely happy? This is it! This with Gilbert! As it always should have been!" Anne exclaimed.

Marilla rolled her eyes. "Well, Rachel will have a field day of this!" Marilla said "Running away and marrying in secret, I hope you're ready for the consequences. Come on back to Green Gables the both of you."

* * *

"You did what!" Rachel pounced as soon as she heard their news.

"Mrs Lynde…" Anne started.

"What do you think you were doing? Running off? Eloping!? I suppose he couldn't wait!" Rachel said tipping her head towards the parlour where Gilbert was sitting waiting.

"Don't talk about my husband that way!" Anne snapped. "Gilbert always has been and always will be a gentlemen, this was my idea not his."

"Yours?!" Rachel exclaimed confused. "That makes no sense. Why would you elope when you could marry here in the sight of God and properly done. You missed the day which was made for you and gave him the night for free!"

"Rachel that's enough." Marilla said firmly. "You heard Anne, this wasn't Gilbert's idea."

"He did nothing to stop it either." Rachel said thinking it would win the argument.

"Stop and be realistic Rachel the boy has loved her since he was thirteen years old he's now twenty nine, don't you think he's waited long enough. And have you thought this is the kind of opinion they might have been running away from when they eloped?"

Rachel paused in her attack of the elopement realising Marilla was on Anne's side and once that happened she would never win. "Well then, you probably noticed on the wedding night…" She started.

"Rachel!" Marilla said her face dropping.

"Its nothing you can tell her so hold your tongue she needs to hear it from a women." Rachel said.

"Mrs Lynde…" Anne started.

"It's a holy union and not one to be trifled with, you probably felt it hurt, well that's normal, you need to know where he didn't mean to hurt you the next few times you do…"

"Mrs Lynde please!" Anne begged. "I've learnt what I needed to from my husband."

"He'll have you believe anything!" Rachel said hotly.

Gilbert unseen to them had heard enough Rachel was crossing too many lines he started to walk towards the kitchen.

"He's a doctor!" Anne retorted hotly. "He's told me nothing but the truth instead of what I can assume is some sort of twisted version of what making love really is."

"Making love? Is that how he described it? It wasn't made for us Anne, it raw and painful there's no pleasure in it… and if you do feel any pleasure…."

"That's enough." Gilbert said quietly and firmly enough that Rachel knew not to open her mouth. "Anne, sweetheart can you wait in the parlour for me please love?" He asked her. She walked passed him without argument to anyone, he gently stroked her arm reassuring her and gave her a sweet look as she passed. He waited for the parlour door to shut behind her.

"I don't appreciate my wife being told what to expect from me in the privacy of the bedroom." He said quietly.

"She needs to know from a women's point of view…"

"And you have no right to give it. You aren't her parent, you aren't her guardian and you aren't mine either, what right do you have?"

"Her guardian can hardly give her the advice…"

"Then you leave it to her husband to explain." He said quietly.

Marilla knew the warning signs of an angry Blythe and Gilbert was just like his father at least in temperament. She could sense he was angry. Rachel seemed to have no such knowledge of this and tried to persist.

"You're a man…" She started.

"Rachel you need to stop." Marilla tried to warn her friend.

"What does he know about…"

"I've seen what happens to a woman!" he lost his temper. "I've had to repair the damage done and stop masses of bleeding from husbands who don't take into consideration their wife!" he took a breath and started to calm down "and if you think I am so backwards in my thinking and desire to take part in such medieval practices of sex then you don't know either me or Anne at all do you? How dare you try and tell her not to enjoy it, Anne was made for feeling every lovely loving and sweet emotion which can be felt from such an intimate act and I will not have my wife thinking it is anything but natural. What was your next line telling her to ration it?"

"It's not bad advice." Rachel muttered.

"Unbelievable!" Gilbert exclaimed finally turning his back and leaving going into the parlour.

There was silence between the two ladies for a moment.

"I suppose you agree with them!" Rachel said accusingly at Marilla.

"I agree that where there is no mother and guardian able to, perhaps even one of Anne's friends might be intimate enough to give the advice, but where there is none, it should be left to the husband. I also agree it is none of our business what happens in their bedroom that's their choice."

Rachel shook her head. "Oh what do you know!" She exclaimed quietly.

"Enough to remember the Blythe's have a quiet temper Rachel. You've upset both of them. Are you against their marriage?"

"Well of course not." Rachel snapped.

"Then try 'congratulations' before you jump in head first giving them relationship advice and try to remember Gilbert Blythe is a Doctor not some little boy from down the road, he does have some idea about what he is talking about. Maybe in our generation the expectation was different but it doesn't seem the right advice to give them."

"Marilla Cuthbert!" Rachel said shocked. "I can't believe you have such modern romantic notions in your head."

"And I can't believe you would ever think Gilbert Blythe would hurt Anne. Ever! Especially in an act which is supposed to be about love." Marilla having had enough herself walked to the parlour, to find both Anne and Gilbert sitting on the sofa chair together their foreheads touching their hands in each other's. She looked at them and saw they had heard what had been said.

"Thank you." Gilbert said gently, still holding his wife's hand stroking it gently.

"I told Anne years ago that women is far too opinionated for her own good. Just you both mind not to lose your temper over her she isn't worth it." Marilla told them both.

Anne smiled a little "I suppose that was you not losing your temper then?" Anne said with a knowing smile. Gilbert looked back and forth and saw the amused look on both their faces.

"When have I ever lost my temper?" Marilla started to chuckle as Anne also started to laugh. Gilbert wasn't entirely sure of the joke himself but he saw the amused look on their faces and started to laugh gently also. "She does mean well you know." She said to them both. "She's just a little backwards thinking."

"Then I am glad I was raised by such a modern thinker." Anne said getting up and gently kissing Marilla. Marilla blushed slightly which amused Gilbert for some reason, he saw her features soften and saw her for the first time as quite pretty for a woman her age.

"Stuff and nonsense." Marilla said to her. "Maybe the pair of you could move double bed in storage up to your bed room Anne. At least you would have a bed to share that way."

Anne smiled mischievously "A man and a woman sharing a bed in your house Marilla are you sure that isn't too forward thinking?"

Marilla grinned back, "as long as they are married then that's all that matters. I take it the marriage certificate was a valid one?" Marilla joked back.

"Too late now if it wasn't." Anne said

Gilbert looked positively blushing at what his wife had just said "Anne!" He exclaimed quietly.

Marilla then burst into laughter. " you better not let Rachel hear you talk like that." Marilla said laughing. She straighten her face " go on get the bed, get yourselves organised before Rachel comes in with more relationship advice."

* * *

The bed finally moved into Anne's room Gilbert looked round it.

"Has it much changed from when you were growing up?" he asked her.

"Not an awful lot no." she said smiling.

Gilbert smiled. "Its beautiful. Can you make our bedroom as beautiful as this?" He said softly.

"where will you put Imhotep?" She smiled.

"In my study of course... This really is beautiful... Just like…" He trailed and gasped as he saw one of the pictures in the picture frames another picture of Anne and Gilbert from their last AVIS meeting arms wrapped around each other smiling at the camera. Gilbert's hands started shaking "its us." He whispered.

Anne looked and smiled. "You seem surprised?"

He looked wide eyed still amazed. "This was here before we were, which means you kept it in the frame all these years." He said.

"Yes of course, despite everything you were still my best friend, I missed you terribly. I needed the reminder of the boy you once were, the friendship we once had, it made me happy when I was sad." She said quietly.

Gilbert looked to the picture then to Anne again. "I couldn't have any reminders of you, every bit of happiness which existed between us only brought forward the painful memories. I had locked them all away, tried to forget you." He said still shaking. "Anne…" he whispered.

She came in front of him and held him close. "Its alright love. Its okay."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I tried to forget you. I never stopped loving you, I'm so sorry." He whispered into her.

She held him close. "my love, hey come on, don't, don't do this. I love you and this, this… us... our relationship is like a phoenix has raised out the ashes of what we were and look how beautiful we've made it."

He put the picture down and kissed her passionately. "I love you, I love you. I can't believe how much!" he said huskily. "Does that door lock?" He asked tilting his head towards the door.

"Yes." Anne replied a little confused. He went to the door and locked it not finishing turning round his shirt already becoming unbuttoned. "Oh!" she said blushing "You want to… here?"

He didn't answer her directly instead kissed her with as much force as he could pushing her back on the bed.

She started giggling "but what about Mrs Lynde, if she heard…." Anne trailed

"I don't care about Mrs Lynde!" He exclaimed reaching down his wife's figure. "I love you! And I'm going to make sure you know it."


	10. Chapter 10

Hello everyone!

Thank you for the fab feedbacks on all my stories this week! It is very much appreciated. Some of you already know I have just turned 14 weeks pregnant and have had a hard (by comparison to my first pregnancy) first trimester. So your support in this has really pushed me along, I know I haven't updated every story every week (and I don't expect that to change) but now I'm out of my first trimester I feel its a bit safer to share the fact. Thank you all so much really I do appreciate it. My daughter who is five is taking being a big sister very very seriously and since we told her at week nine she's been very understanding of mammy's mixed up tummy and short fuse! Bless her! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The afternoon came to fruition and Gilbert had gone to get fire wood for the oven and Anne was sitting in the parlour when Rachel entered.

She looked at Anne before she started talking "You know I speak my mind in such matters, its not that I disapprove of your choice of husband."

"No?" Anne said to her wide eyed. "That's how it felt for both Gilbert and I."

Rachel sat down, unseen to both of them Gilbert stood silently at the door staying back for a moment to see what would happen.

"Was it really your idea to elope?" she asked Anne.

"Yes." Anne admitted again. "I'd put our relationship through enough, we felt if we returned here still unmarried, some opinions may dampen our love and we didn't want that. I just wanted to be married to him."

Rachel sighed "well I see the sense in that of course, some people will be far too outspoken, especially those Pye's, you know Josie just before you came home said she at least wasn't the last one to marry because there would always be you. Well I knew you're lovely disposition and I prayed you would marry before she did." Rachel sighed "I just wished you had married here where we all could see it."

"We plan on a party once we've settled, to celebrate, I'm sure we could ask the minister to bless the marriage." Anne said to her.

"Yes, that might do it Anne." Rachel said satisfied. "And just to be sure, he was gentle with you?" Rachel said concerned.

Anne giggled. "He's the perfect gentleman, every time."

Rachel thought on saying something on the _every time_ but left it. "Well the Blythe's always were a law unto their own, maybe I should have guessed Gilbert would be different. Well I'm sorry Anne." She admitted.

"Its not just me you need to apologise to Rachel. I accept of course, but you really hurt Gilbert very much," Gilbert's heart thumped in his chest and his jaw dropped slightly. Anne was only thinking of his feelings "he's never been like the other boys it hurt him that someone would think he would change just because…"

"Then maybe I should find him." Rachel admitted.

"There's no need to." Gilbert finally spoke the two women turning to see him standing there. "and there's no need for me to hold a grudge, just leave the things intimate between a man and a wife just as that and we'll be fine."

Rachel jumped up and kissed him on the cheek as she past. "Mind you continue to be a gentleman." She said tapping his cheek. Rachel continued and walked out.

Gilbert looked to Anne and smiled as he leaned against the door.

"Must she make me feel like a six year old?" Gilbert said half teasing.

"She does that to all of us." Anne laughed.

"Anne! Anne!" Davy shouted from the kitchen, followed by a storm of feet running into the parlour he almost ignored Gilbert as he passed him in the doorway. "Marilla just told me!" He exclaimed. Leaning over hugged her closely. "Anne! I wish you could have waited but I'm glad you married Gilbert and not that Roy fellow."

Anne blushed. "Davy, that was years ago! What makes you think of him!?" Anne exclaimed.

"Aw, well he never came to the island and he would have taken you away forever, Gilbert won't" he said running into Gilbert giving him a hug. "And I like Gilbert he gives the best presents!"

"Davy!" Anne exclaimed reprimanding him as Gilbert laughed. "You're seventeen and still talking like a boy! Well the last time he gave you a present must have been..."

"Eight years ago and he got me that hockey stick and we went out on Barry's pond because it was frozen over and we played ice hockey all afternoon! I remember it... I know there's more important things Anne but if he's to be my almost brother I have to like him for something other than you like him for!"

"Well let's see if we can get better acquainted over the summer, so you might like me for some personality traits other than my good gift giving." Gilbert said jovially.

"See Gilbert doesn't mind." Davy said beaming. "Did Marilla tell you Dora was courting Ralph?"

"Finally what took that child so long?" Anne said exasperated.

"Andrews?" Gilbert asked. "I suppose if you're seventeen you must all be old enough to court."

"I'm courting Millie I'm going to marry her one day." Davy said in surety.

Gilbert laughed at Anne's face. "Come on Anne, I knew I wanted to marry you at his age. Younger in fact." He said with a grin and a slight blush. "You found the right girl?" He asked Davy who nodded. "well then I have no argument. Millie Ralph, it's a good family too. Is she good too?"

"aww, she's fizzing!" Davy exclaimed.

"Davy!" Anne reprimanded again. "You shouldn't use slang words like that."

"Aw but she is Anne. She's stunning honest."

"Ah!" Gilbert recognised "we used to say 'the jammiest bits of jam.' That was you Anne." He said with a wink to which made her blush.

Davy laughed "Oh I like that! 'The jammiest bits of jam'" Davy admitted. "Oh that's a whoop!" he said leaving the room.

"Davy Keith! Don't you dare repeat that!" Anne called after him. Gilbert chuckling Anne looked at him. "Gilbert Blythe!" she said half shocked.

"Aw come on Anne, boys will be boys." He said finally sitting next to her.

"The jammiest bits of jam?" Anne questioned him blushing.

"I never got to _say_ it but I _thought_ it." He admitted. Kissing her neck briefly. "Yummy." He whispered. "Definitely the jammiest bits of jam." He said with a chuckle. "Lucky me."

"I can't believe anyone would ever describe me like that!" Anne exclaimed.

"The very very best bits." He whispered and looked at her sweetly. "I love you."

"I love you too Gil. You're quite jammy yourself." She whispered.

* * *

"Anne! Oh Anne its been too long!" Diana exclaimed pulling in her friend hugging her close holding a glass dish in her hands as Anne had found her in the middle of drying the dishes. "Oh and Fred and Anne and little baby are growing so fast and miss their Aunt Anne!" She exclaimed. "Why Anne you're early?" Diana remarked.

"Yes I am, I thought you might need some extra help in preparing food."

Diana looked at her "its only one more Anne, its no bother." Diana said.

"Actually Diana, I've brought someone along with me if that's okay?" Anne asked her.

"Oh finally a beau! Oh Anne I knew you couldn't swear yourself off men for too much longer! Its been five years since Roy and I never liked him anyway but oh tell me Anne tell me!?" Diana asked of her. She pulled Diana out on the veranda where Diana saw Gilbert standing at the other side of the veranda. Diana dropped the dish which shattered on the floor. She looked to Anne then to Gilbert then back to Anne again. "Gilbert?!" Diana asked astonished.

"He's more than just a beau." Anne told her. "We eloped. Gilbert is my husband."

"How?!" Diana asked. "When? I…." Diana said flabbergasted with a wide smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "Gil." She whispered.

Gilbert walked over and stood in front of Diana. "Hello Diana. I've missed you and Fred an awful lot, you don't mind the extra company do you?"

Instead of answering Diana leaped into Gilbert's arms hugging him as old friends do. Anne smiled and went inside to get the broom and dustpan to clean the mess up. "Gil! I can't believe it! I thought you were gone from the island forever." She pulled back they held each other by the arms "Oh sorry, Doctor Blythe!"

Gilbert smiled "Gil will do just fine and don't forget it."

"Congratulations! For your medical degree… I mean… oh and your marriage… to Anne!" she said him hugging him again. Anne by this point had come back out and was cleaning up the broken glass. "Well I suppose some extra hands are needed Anne, you'll simply have to explain all of this!"

* * *

"Oh isn't it romantic Fred?" Diana sighed at the tale. "After all this time!"

Fred nodded. "Yes of course very romantic of course." He said quietly.

" I should get started on the dishes." Diana said standing.

"Here Diana let me help." Anne said. Gilbert stood to help too.

"Don't you dare Gilbert Blythe!" Diana exclaimed. Diana looked to Anne, "Honestly Anne you'll have to get him accustom to being a husband. Stay in here and have a manly chat with Fred." Diana insisted. Gilbert looked to Anne who shrugged and smiled at him. He sat down a blushed a little as Anne and Diana finished clearing the plates and went into the kitchen.

"Been living a bachelor too long." Fred commented going to the glass cabinet and pulling out a couple of glasses and a bottle of whiskey. Gilbert watched as he poured it out for him and handed him the glass. Gilbert took it holding it in his hand. Fred pulled out some cigars and offered him one, on refusal, Fred said to him "Come on Gil, one won't hurt you and anyway we're celebrating." Gilbert looked to Fred then took one.

"I never got the hang of these." He admitted looking at the cigar.

Fred chuckled at Gilbert. "Do you remember round the back of school when Charlie had brought some and Moody sucked in so much…" Gilbert laughed at the memory "… but then you didn't actually have any of yours, have you ever?" Fred asked him.

"I had a couple of puffs of papa's pipe when I was 13 and another time someone brought him some cherry tobacco and I was intrigued so had a go, then at graduation… both times." He said shrugging. "Lit them all had a few puffs never finished one of them."

Fred chuckled. "You've had a lot to celebrate, consider this your stag night one." Fred said to him.

"Well that was something to celebrate." Gilbert said with a grin.

"Gil?" He started then seemed to stop.

"What's wrong?" Gilbert asked him.

"Nothing, I know in one way its been a long time for this to happen, but in another way.. I mean proposing after 6 weeks of knowing her again and marrying two week after. I'm probably being far too sensible for my own good and I didn't want to say it in front of Diana in case she accuses me of being unromantic and I didn't want to hurt Anne by saying it, but she's never mentioned you, not even asked about you, if she knew before those six weeks then she never said anything to Diana and I'm sure she would have if she had known. I just want to be sure, this is…"

"Its alright Fred." Gilbert said trying to release his friend from the question which was playing on his mind. "It did happen very quickly." Gilbert admitted. "You know in those six weeks of seeing her again it was so much like old times, I loved being near her again and I felt so much more myself then I had ever felt since she had rejected me all those years ago. Then the same night I proposed, just before I did actually, she admitted the reason my proposal had been such an awful one all those years ago. She said deep down inside she knew she was turning down the right man." He paused and smiled "and I couldn't let her go again. I needed to keep her."

Fred looked at his friend "Why did she never ask about you?" Fred wondered.

"That's something you'll have to ask Anne." Gilbert replied to him.

Fred nodded. "She hasn't been depriving you of affection has she?" Fred wondered.

"You mean am I sure she loves me?" Gilbert asked.

Fred looked at his friend. "Gil, I don't ask because I think Anne would do it deliberately, I know she wouldn't she isn't that kind of girl, but she could have been swept away in the romance. I look right now at her when she looks at you and I do see love but what about when reality sets in, three four years down the line, its not all flowers and romance."

"I was never sure she loved me before, but Fred had you have been there, if you had seen… if you had been there… you couldn't have questioned it! Just as I can't. Fred, she was broken hearted and I saw it in her eyes every time we met until I proposed to her again. Fred I _need you_ to believe it, I need you to be on _our_ side when the questions start to be asked. Please believe us when we say, Anne _is_ in love with me as I am with _her_. No we don't know what will happen in the future but we want to face it together, hand in hand."

Fred smiled lightly. "I would never voice my concern of this but anyone but you, you must remember that much of me? I would always say to others you were in love even if I wasn't sure, I would hope you both had enough sense to prove it right." Fred took a sigh. "Call me an old romantic but I do believe it. I do believe how happy she could make you, being married to Diana has given me an unique perspective on Anne Shir… pardon me, Anne Blythe." His smile turning to a wide one. "You're a lucky man. Congratulations."

"Thank you Fred. This will make everything so much easier having you and Di on side." He paused and took a small drink. "And I do believe I am a _very_ lucky man." Gilbert said with a grin.

"Oh?" Fred said picking up on the innuendo. "Very lucky?" he questioned.

Gilbert chuckled "very very very very lucky."

"Just how lucky?" Fred looked in disbelief. "two? Three times?"

"Sure." Gilbert said shrugging. "A day." He said quietly going a tinge pink.

Fred dropped to the chair looking a little pale. He looked to his friend then said "well I suppose being a doctor has its advantages." He said holding his glass out.

Gilbert chinked his glass against Fred's the two fully grown men looked to each other and burst out laughing.

* * *

Meanwhile Anne and Diana had gone to the kitchen and were cleaning up but as with the men the girl talk began.

"Diana, can I ask you something about…" Anne trailed.

"we're both married women I'm sure we can discuss such delicate matters, what do you need to know?"

"Its something right after we first made love Gil said and Mrs Lynde asked me about later." Anne asked.

"Oh?" Diana enquired not sure how the two could be related.

"Well, Gilbert asked if he hurt me and Mrs Lynde asked if it hurt at all. Is it… normal to hurt?"

Diana sighed. "Did you ask your husband? He is a doctor."

Anne thought "yes I did immediately when he asked me in the first place. He said opinions varied on it, then went on to explain his feelings on it." Anne told her.

"which are?" Diana asked.

"That if a man is gentle enough it need not hurt and might even cause her a great deal amount of pleasure."

Diana nodded and turned a little pink. "Did he say if the pleasure was normal?"

Anne sighed. "We've talked about it once or twice since and he explained it with his medical books, at the time it made perfect sense what he was saying about it being normal. But then Mrs Lynde was so adamant in what she was saying, I can't help but wonder, if in fact Gilbert could be wrong about it."

Diana sighed. "I'd much rather believe Gilbert on such matters, it is a medical opinion."

"Well did it hurt for you?" Anne asked her friend.

Diana sighed. "Fred and I were very inexperienced about what happened in the bedroom I was given similar advice to what Mrs Lynde sounds to have said to you, but…" Diana paused again not sure how to continue. "After I had Jack, something changed in Fred." Diana explained. "You see when Fred jr. and Anne was born he wasn't in the room, by the time we ha Fred we had another younger doctor come who encouraged the husband to be in the room to witness the birth. Fred hadn't really known with Fred and Anne what went on but afterwards with Jack I was very sore which stopped us from being intimate." Diana explained. "It was only then I explained to Fred just how much it had been painful at times when we had been making love and he sort of went into shock." Diana explained. "It wasn't long after he started being a lot more careful of my needs and well not every time but sometimes…" Diana blushed going quiet. "… it can be pleasurable." She blushed more "oh but please don't tell Fred, I try so hard to hide it! I always thought it wasn't normal and I've been so afraid I was going mad as my mother had warned I might if I started feeling pleasure, but you're saying Gil thinks its normal for us to feel pleasure?"

Anne sighed at least in a little relief. "Yes Diana, yes." Anne replied quietly.

Diana sighed. "at least I know I'm not going mad." Diana said pausing before venturing to the next question. "besides I thought you said you'd only been married just over a week, surely it couldn't have happened that often that you've noticed a pattern?" Diana asked delicately.

Anne blushed slightly "I did say it was pleasurable." She whispered quietly to make sure the men didn't hear. "we haven't exactly been shy of..." Anne blushed.

"and he hasn't hurt you once?" Diana asked.

"no." Anne said bow beetroot in colour "he's been the perfect gentlemen every time." She whispered again.

"every time!?" Diana exclaimed loudly so much so Anne shushed her they stopped and listened for any hint the boys had heard them looked at each other and giggled like schoolgirls. "I can't pretend I'm not a little bit envious Anne. Marrying Gilbert I mean its Gilbert! Who turns out to be a real _gentle_ men and you get a doctor thrown into the mix! All these things in one man... he must have wanted to be absolutely perfect for you." Diana said.

"Gil didn't become a doctor just to get me!" Anne said to Diana, "he became a doctor while we weren't talking remember?" Anne took a sigh. "Diana?" Anne asked her.

"erm?" she said.

"did you stay in touch with Gil at all since he went to medical school?"

"well we did in the first year but then he stopped writing back, we assumed he just got really busy."

" you never said." Anne said quietly. "did you never tell him I wasn't going to marry Roy?" Anne asked her.

"well I suggested writing it in a letter but Fred said Gil had requested that no one mention you. Fred thought he was too broken hearted to say anything to, I mean he was devastated you know."

"I know he was, but it would have been welcome news." Anne said quietly.

"would you have said yes to him Anne? You never asked once if anyone knew how he was or what he was doing... how were we to know... as for writing to tell Gil, what he have done? Come running back for you, given up his medical courses to be with you? Would you have wanted that?" Diana asked her.

Anne fell silent. " no." She said quietly.

" you never mentioned you missed him, not even to me." Diana said to Anne.

"I didn't want to seem a fool." She admitted. " he was my best friend, of course I missed him. I thought he was happy, I thought he would find someone. When I saw him again and found he was still single, he told me ' there was never anyone else.' I felt as though I was about to explode. I was so excited like I'd never been before I... I think I knew it before but being with him again made me feel it... does that make sense?"

Diana smiled. " yes dearest Anne it does. And I couldn't be happier."


	11. Chapter 11

"You've been smoking." Anne said as they walked away from the Wright's home.

"Not a lot only a few puffs." He admitted openly. "I hate the stuff, most of the smoke you can smell is from Fred." Gil responded taking Anne's hand and helping her onto the buggy.

Anne smiled, "I don't mind as much as Marilla might, the smell reminds me of Matthew."

Gilbert walked across the front of the buggy and levered himself up. "It should disperse once we get back to Green Gables. I did rinse my mouth, it should be desirable to kiss" He said quietly. They looked to each other where Anne kissed him gently.

"Very minty. I would never suspect the hint of tobacco on your breath." She smiled.

"I'm not sure how to take that, was it a compliment? Do you like the smell? I'll take up smoking if I must."

Anne laughed. "No." she paused. "It's nice after all these years to have something which reminds me of Matthew." She continued she snuggled into him and smelt his shirt. "With Gilbert mixed in." She smiled staying hugged in.

He smiled and held her close as the buggy started rolling along the road. "I'll choose to take it as a compliment."

"emmm." She said dreamily. She remained silent for a moment hugging into him before asking. "Was the cigar to celebrate?" she said with a knowing smile.

He chuckled "A man must celebrate the end of his stag years." He laughed. "Although I prefer our method of doing that." He whispered kissing her hair. "Much more satisfying."

She smiled and hugged a little closer to him. "I'm a lucky women." She said quietly.

He looked down concerned. "You don't sound convinced Anne?" He questioned. "Have I done something wrong already?" he asked genuinely trying to keep an eye on the road also.

"No my love, honestly no." she blushed.

He brought the buggy to the side of the road. "Then what is it?" he asked her.

She started to blush, "Are you sure the pleasure is normal?" Anne asked him.

Gilbert took a sigh. "I asked myself that a lot of times when I first started to investigate it." He said quietly taking her hands. "But you saw how the two theories contradicted each other and it came down to one belief and one belief only. Are females my equal in every single way? If they are their bodies despite their many wondrous and wonderful differences to my own can achieve the same pleasures as my own. What I knew underneath it all was, yes. I knew from my classes and these discussions was that your body is far superior then my own, you are capable of so much more…" he trailed and blushed "pleasure then my own." He took a sigh "but also its able to bear so much more pain." He said quietly and whispered "I think its God's way of making up for the pain of childbirth."

Anne looked to Gilbert and blushed. "Don't let Mrs Lynde hear you talking like that!" she said to him.

He laughed slightly "Our view on Him is hardly the same as…" he trailed as it dawned on him what was wrong. "That's where this is coming from, isn't it? What Mrs Lynde said."

"She was married for over 40 years she must know something on the…" she trailed looking at his face. "I asked Diana, she seemed relieved that…" Anne trailed. "its very confusing!" she said with a chuckle.

"I know it is." He said. "And I don't want to force my views on you Anne, of course you have every right to form your own view on it." His kissed her hand gently.

"It not that I don't share it, its just scary to be different again in something I believe in." He looked at her with a mix of admiration and confusion. "What?" she asked him.

"Its funny you should say that, growing up, I heard a lot of your opinions from afar and I admired your honesty in being different. I shared a lot of your opinions but never dared speak them out loud. You made me wish I could be like you."

"You never said." She said.

"You probably would have changed your mind if you found I shared your opinion you despised me so." He said with a smile which she returned "So I found out what they were from afar, loved you for them, agreed with most and loved your imagination for the rest, and swore if you ever forgave me, if we ever made friends, I would never try and change you. I would let you feel and think and just be you because I thought you were special." He swallowed for a moment as he saw her look at him in amazement. "Please, don't change, don't ever change, never be afraid of drumming to your own beat."

"You like it in me? That I'm different?" she asked him. He smiled and nodded. "Well if you like it." She blushed. She smiled and cuddled into him again. He started the buggy again and put one arm around her.

"You know it's part of why I'm attracted to you, you aren't like anyone else. Don't be afraid to be different." He took a sigh "but if you will be conventional in this…" he said "…remember I'll still love you." He hugged her closer "yes?"

She smiled and giggled then sighed. "Oh my sweet, I'm just tired and Mrs Lynde has got inside my head!" she grinned gently "let's just go back to Green Gables you can reassure me in bed tonight." She flirted. He looked down at her surprised. "I just can't help myself Gilbert Blythe, you're irresistible." She smiled.

"Right back at you." He smiled.

* * *

Reassured Anne lay a wake the next morning, watching her husband's chest rising and falling on a slow rhythm, she looked up at his face his eyes hidden behind his closed eyelids he looked much the same as ever.

All his early interactions with her was him asking for her forgiveness. Had she really held such an awful grudge against such an angel?

 _"Anne," he_ had _said hurriedly, "look here. Can't we be good friends? I'm awfully sorry I made fun of your hair that time. I didn't mean to vex you and I only meant it for a joke. Besides, it's so long ago. I think your hair is awfully pretty now—honest I do. Let's be friends."_

She really had no idea how sorry. The amount of times since they had become a couple he had asked for her hair to be left loose, he seemed to worship her and adore her hair. Had the call of Carrots really have only been a joke? Something to get her attention because he wanted to say hello?

 _"It wasn't particularly good of me at all, Anne. I was pleased to be able to do you some small service. Are we going to be friends after this? Have you really forgiven me my old fault?"_

His old fault! He never once brought up her old fault, how she dare not forgive him that first day he asked for her forgiveness! How stubborn!

 _Anne, I love you. You know I do. I—I can't tell you how much. Will you promise me that some day you'll be my wife?_

Anne's eyes filled with tears again. She had known! Deep down under it all she had known! She had confessed this to Gilbert when he had left she knew she had lost him, he was invaluable, incalculable value to her! She loved him, what a fool she had been and what a cost! Seven precious years lost. Gilbert had taken it upon himself that the last 5 years was lost but truth was if she hadn't refused him they never would have been lost. As Gilbert would say she couldn't regret it fully because it had led to the circumstances which had pushed them back together.

 _"I love you. You know I do. Always have, always will, Make it right, and marry me?"_

She had been amazed. He still loved her! She finally couldn't hold back her emotions, looked at him reached up and kissed him awake. She slowly felt his responses on her mouth which made her smile into him the rest of his body quickly waking to the loving embraces of his wife.

"You can wake me like that every morning sweetheart!" he said as she pulled away for air.

"I can do more than that Gil." She fluttered reaching down her husband holding him.

He gasped at her touch still not used to being held by her.

"I was just thinking of the night you proposed. I could have sworn you would hate me. How could you love me, after I admitted I had loved you and still rejected you?" she half asked half kissed into him.

His mind whirling round with her current ministrations he felt like jelly all over, he found the strength to roll on top of his wife and start kissing round her neck. "You said you didn't know at the time." He said kissing reverently on her collarbone, "you've said since it was your biggest regret." He moved his mouth further south kissing her gently, feeling her relax beneath him. "How could I watch the women I loved, the women I had always loved since I was thirteen, live another second in those regrets and not make it better?" He said returning his mouth to her kissing her back along her collarbone before kissing her deeply. "You know what made it special? Was the fact that at the time, the women who I had spent the last six weeks with, was most definitely in love with me and not even she could deny it. Anne Shirley was in love with me, do you know what that sounded like to me? Do you have any idea? I thought you had married Royal Gardner six weeks before hand, I thought you were Mrs Gardner."

She giggled with him. "Oh my love!" she laughed "you have no idea, Roy was all wrong, ALL wrong for me!"

"I was alone and destined to be so, for you had married someone else, nothing else made me as surprised as when I looked at your administration papers And your last name still read 'Shirley'."

She giggled kissing him more. "Anne Gardner just sounds wrong, so so wrong. An…Anne Blythe! Oh it sounds blissful! I don't think I'll ever get used to it!" She exclaimed. "Mrs…" She said kissing him "Gilbert…" she trailed kissing him deeper "Blythe."

He smiled to as the kisses became more intense. "Oh pllllleeeaaasssseee Annnnne!"

* * *

"Do you think many people will know yet?" Anne asked Gilbert as they came to the edge of town together, the first time out in Avonlea as a married couple.

"News spreads fast in Avonlea, if people don't know already they soon will when I sport you on my arm." He said with a grin. "Even more so if I do this." He said collecting her in his arms and kissing her deeply

"Emmmm" she blushed as he pulled away. "Gilbert Blythe I'm a bad influence on you, its not proper to kiss like that in public!"

"That was no influence of you Anne, I've always wanted to do that." He continued their walk "Are you forgetting I'm the same Gilbert Blythe who proposed to you then not half an hour later was lying on top of you in bed trying my best to control myself, THAT that was ALL me!" he chuckled.

"You did control yourself." She said with a grin. "Mores the pity." She flirted.

He laughed lightly "For two weeks." He said, "I didn't make it so short a time just to make love to you." He assured her the quickly and quietly added "It was a good incentive though."

She smiled as they reached the convenience store. "I'm going to go in and get the things Marilla asked me to." She said letting go of his arm and going into the shop. Gilbert decided to take the time to look in the window for some farming parts his father was always looking for in the shop window for a few minutes did so in peace, relaxed his hands went into his pocket. When a voice came from behind him.

"So the prodigal son returns."

He looked for the source and saw it was Josie. "Josie." He acknowledged politely. "Hardly prodigal Josie, I was getting an education."

"Well for some of the time." She said with a hint of cruelty. "Haven't seen you regularly round here for nine less so in the past five years."

"Well I was busy at the hospital you see, saving lives." He said a little frustrated

"what's the point in saving others if you don't have one."

"Well I was set to be a senior surgeon by the end of the year." He told her "it takes time and effort to get there. That was my life."

"But I've heard on the grapevine you returned to Avonlea with a Kingsport women as a wife." She asked him curiosity. He smiled slightly at the gossip. So that is how it had come out. You could always relay on Josie to hear the false gossip. "So are you married?" he asked him directly.

"Yes I am, we married a week last Saturday." He told her just as Anne was coming out the convenience store.

"Anne!" Josie called in the cruelty of the moment, if she was hurting she would make sure Anne was.

Anne came over and acknowledged Josie. "Josie." Anne said with a sweet smile.

"How was your term _teaching_?" Josie emphasised the last word in a false kindness.

"Oh, very well. I really loved the last term, I'm looking forward to finding if my students pass onto the teaching training colleges. But it's different for you, you aren't teaching anymore are you?"

Josie gave a false laugh "Heavens no, _you_ of all people _know_ … well whats the point when _I'm_ not going to be an _old_ maid, not _all_ of us could be happy with _that_ life _Anne_." Anne wondered for a moment and Gilbert could see the cogs were turning realising Josie didn't know. "but Anne dear, seriously we're at an age now where if we wait much longer all our beaus will be married and another one of yours have been…" she trailed falsely as she looked at Gilbert. "well I don't suppose you've seen Gilbert since he came back. He got himself a wife." She said with a false concern.

Anne smiled and looked at Gilbert. "he did, did he?" she grinned widely at him. "Congratulations Gilbert." She almost laughed.

"Well thank you." He said with a blush playing along. "What about you _Anne_?" He asked her falsely.

"I must admit, I handed in my notice for my school at the end of term." She said looking back to Josie.

"What?" Josie said genuinely shocked. "but you love teaching." She said confused.

"I do you're quite right, but you see my husband might have something to say if I stayed in Kingsport teaching."

"Husband!" she exclaimed. "You got married too?!"

"Seems congratulations are in order for both of us then." Gilbert said with a lovely gaze to his wife.

"but that means…" she trailed, thinking but not saying 'I'm the only unmarried women left' "what…" she trailed bringing her thoughts together, "I mean your husband Anne, what does he do? His job?" she asked.

Anne wanted to laugh, how was Josie not getting this? "He's a doctor. He was a very prominent and upcoming doctor a surgeon actually in the hospital in Kingsport but decided he wanted to set up practice in his home providence."

Josie looked to Gilbert "well then you must know him Gil?" Josie asked confused. "Is that not awkward considering…" she trailed still so very confused. "Where?" Josie asked Anne.

"Prince Edward Island." Anne said quietly finally pulling her left arm though his right arm. Gilbert's hand finally coming out hid left pocket and reached over his body looking down and caressed the back of his wife's hand before looking up and seeing the dawning on Josie's face.

"You're together." Josie swallowed her face going red. She went quiet and blushed hotly. "Congratulations." She muttered. "You belong together." She said with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Thank you Josie." Anne said to her. Josie started to walk away. "give me a moment Gil." Anne whispered to him and went after Josie. "Josie." She called after her. "Can't we stop this Josie?" Anne asked her, "We could be such good friends if we tried and aren't you tired of putting a mask up everytime we talk?" Anne asked her. Josie looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Josie?" She asked her. "Why are you crying?" She asked pulling out a handkerchief.

"I'm never going to find anyone to love me, I'm going to die an old maid!" she broke. "I thought you would stay single forever, not because you couldn't get a man but because you seemed after that millionaire thing to really choose not to…" She trailed crying.

"After Roy I did choose to not have a relationship, I didn't want one, I'd messed up and broken two men's heart as well as my own." She admitted. "But then one of those men, Gilbert... the man I always loved came back into my life, I wasn't going to say no was I?"

I'll admit it Anne I'm jealous I always have been, you have red hair, I know I teased you for it but Charlie loved it Gil loved it I mean the two best boys in Avonlea were in love with you! And you had friends and everyone liked you easily, no one liked me easily!"

Anne was flabbergasted. The revelation was a lot for her to handle. "You haven't made it easy to. But I do like you Josie and you have many many good qualities any man could love."

"You don't mean that, you're being annoying kind!" Josie exclaimed.

"I do mean it." She said a bit taken aback finding them a bench to sit on. "You are very pretty Josie, I'll admit being jealous of just how pretty you are when you stop bickering." Anne added, "You're very clever when you let yourself be." Anne admitted. "I know I couldn't have got into queen's full stop if I didn't put effort into it, and you didn't and still got in."

"not into first class." She said quietly.

"No, but I bet you could have if you had tried." She took a breath, "You could always give a well formed argument you have your own mind and opinions when you let your guard down."

"No one wants a girl like that! Gil did but he wanted you and always had, all the other boys wanted…" She trailed.

"If you only try and be yourself more often Josie, you'll find everyone really does love you."

Gilbert had been watching came over wondered what was going on.

"We're going to have a party up at Green Gables in a week or so to celebrate, you will come won't you Josie?" Anne asked her genuinely.

"You… you want me there? Celebrating your wedding with you?" Josie looked between the two of them finally standing up.

"Of course." Anne assured her.

"I don't want to hate you any longer Anne." She said quietly. "Can we be friends? I don't know if I can stop being the way I am."

"Of course we can be." Anne assured her.

Gilbert picking up on mood "its never too late Josie." Gilbert said quietly.

"You're both too nice." She said quietly. "I'll look forward to the invitation." She said, she looked quickly to Anne "Mrs Blythe." quietly excusing herself.

Gilbert and Anne looked at each other feeling exasperated. "I can't believe she admitted to any of that!" Anne said quietly.

He smiled at her. "Is she going to be alright?"

"I… I think so yes." Anne said quietly. "Bit of a shock for her."

Gilbert half laughed "You don't say." he took his wife's hand again, "bit of a shock for all of us." He smiled. "I still can't believe you are mine." He said as they started to walk towards the post office.

"No, Neither can I." She said with a small smile.


	12. Chapter 12

Anne brushed her hair slowly watching her reflection in the mirror. She felt weary and a little sickly from being parted from Gilbert for so long.

Diana had decided it would be 'romantic' if just for the night before they celebrated their wedding with Avonlea they would spend the night apart.

"Oh but it will make it more realistic for the rest of us Anne, like we can imagine you coming down those stairs the blushing bride of Green Gables."

"I've been married a clear 4 weeks Diana no one will believe it." Anne said rolling her eyes. "And anyway, I don't want to be apart from my husband, don't you think that's one of the reasons I married him?"

"You won't really be apart just pretending." Diana had said.

"I'm too old to be playing pretend Diana." Anne said in a mock reprimand. She would never say such a thing ordinarily it's just she really didn't want to sleep in a different bed to Gil anymore! She was his wife!

Gilbert who had been sitting listening gave a chuckle. Anne shot a look at him "What's so blessed funny?" She asked him. "do you want to be apart from your bride?" she asked him.

"No not at all." He defended. "But Anne, I think you and I both know before we were married we were a bit guilty of playing pretend." He said raising an eyebrow then winking. "Or can't you remember?" He asked her, Anne blushing slightly.

"What do you mean?" Diana asked them.

Neither Anne nor Gilbert had admitted to anyone in Avonlea they had shared a bed before marriage. They had justified that firstly they hadn't actually done anything to tell about, kissed cuddled occasional intimate touch and to be fair in the two weeks they were engaged it had only been nine times they shared a bed, it was such a modern notion no one in Avonlea would truly understand. Lastly it was no one's business but theirs, its not as though they had been scandalously indiscreet about sharing a bed. They had been careful.

Anne kicked Gilbert under the table they had all been sitting round. "nothing he doesn't mean anything." Anne said quickly. But both she and Gilbert knew differently.

 _It had been the Thursday night going into the early morning Friday before the wedding and Anne had come over to stay again, there had been a noise outside which had scared Anne and woken her from her sleep. Upon being wrapped in Gilbert's arms she could hear his heart against his chest, but instead of the slow steady rhythm she knew so well, it was beating hard and fast again her ear._

 _"Gil, are you alright? Your heart is racing; I thought you said you didn't hear the noise that scared me?" She had questioned._

 _"Sorry." He apologised quietly. "I'm fine; when we woke my dream was quite…" He trailed pausing to find the right word. "…vivid."_

 _"Oh?" She questioned. "Dare I ask?"_

 _She felt his heart rate increase again "Just put it this way it was set after we married."_

 _Anne smiled and turned so her back was to his chest. "Oh." She smiled further as he hugged in._

 _He chuckled. "Good night sweetheart." He said gently._

 _"Night Gil."_

 _Neither one of them could tell you exactly how it had started. Whether his arm dropped to her lower stomach bring her closer in or if she had wanted to be closer so had slid closer but soon their bodies were rubbed against each other._

 _Gilbert couldn't believe it! This was happening! This was happening! If he was going to sin so badly at least it would be a blissful one! He had never felt like this before, like he was never going to come down again. This was his wife! Anne was his… his arm dangerously close to rubbing over her breast when he suddenly stopped and pulled back._

 _"Gil?" She questioned, "why did you pull back?"_

 _"I'm not your husband its not my place." He whispered._

 _She peered at the clock beside the bed. "You will be my husband tomorrow, what difference does it make?" she said coming back to him and wrapped herself around him._

 _"I love you Anne and you deserve to be taken at the right time." He kissed into her hair "As you said I shall be your husband tomorrow, he hugged her closer "We're too close to the right time to do it at the wrong time." He sighed and kissed her on the lips once more "that dream, can come true then." He said with a grin._

 _"I promise you it will." She whispered. "it's nice to play pretend though." She told him._

 _"pretend?" he questioned._

 _"Pretend that we are married already." She said._

 _"Oh!" he acknowledged. "Like make believe for grownups." He said with a chuckle._

 _She giggled into him "Very very grown up!" They laughed with each other and joked over it, talked a little more over what they could do when they were husband and wife, until they decided they had to go to sleep an hour later._

Diana had convinced them of the romance of the plan and there was Anne missing her husband so dreadfully and all she could do was brush her hair!

Two more hours and she could be in her husband's arms again, she thought looking at the clock again for the tenth time in the last five minutes when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." She sighed melancholy.

Marilla came in the room and saw the long off distance look in Anne's eyes and shook her head.

"You know he's only down the road, one fence jump away you're on the Blythe's property."

Anne sighed "I miss him Marilla, my bed seemed empty without him to hug into."

Marilla chuckled "what will you do when he's called away in the middle of the night? Pine after him then too?"

"My soul will." She said quietly. "But I suppose… I shall get used to it."

Marilla grinned. "Well all the baking is done all we need to do is set it out. Everyone is really excited Anne being able to at least celebrate it." She said rolling her eyes.

"Would you change the fact I married Gilbert Blythe?" Anne said sneakily.

"You know fine well I wouldn't, you and Gilbert belong to each other, if anyone was ever in any doubt they wouldn't be after the last three weeks… well four I suppose it is for you and Gilbert."

"Almost a month of sheer bliss Marilla! I keep feeling as though I can't be any happier but Gil makes me… Is it really sinful to be happy? Will I be punished?"

Marilla chuckled. "no more then how much you've punished yourself these past five years… maybe even seven years. Well no need to look to the past you and Gil can build the future you both deserve." Marilla looked to Anne "Anne you look peaky, maybe you should take a nap before the party, Diana should be over any moment and Mrs Lynde and I have everything under control."

"Thank you Marilla I think I will." She said making her way over to her bed "Perhaps I didn't sleep as well without Gilbert beside me." She said yawning and curling on the bed.

"perhaps." Marilla smiled. "Have a good sleep." She said leaving the room.

"Gil, you're here early." Marilla smiled as he walked up towards the old orchard.

He smiled and shrugged. "I miss Anne, I just wanted to be with her." He looked around at everyone rushing around "speaking of which where is she? I expected her to be rushing round with the rest of you." He asked.

"So did I truth be told, but she went for a lay down about an hour ago. She apparently didn't sleep too well without you." Marilla smiled.

Gilbert blushed slightly "well I'm glad I'm not the only one." He said as he went towards the house. He found his way up the stairs and stood at the door of her bedroom for a moment.

Should I knock? He questioned himself. I mean this is my wife, I don't need to knock but its still the gentlemanly thing to do right? He paused before knocking. What if she's still asleep and I wake her? That's a new variable. He gently so gently opened the door and peaked round it. Relieved he saw her sleeping on the bed. He curled up around her putting his arm around her, Anne jumped out of her sleep.

"hey, hey." He said quietly "its only me." He calmed her, she lay back down where his hand now lay on her rib cage.

"Gil, you scared me." She said sleepily turning to hug into him.

"Yes I can see that, I'm sorry love, you were fast asleep." He soothed.

"ermmm, what time is it?" she asked him hugging into him.

"Eleven." He said to her. "We still have an hour before people start to arrive, you don't have to wake now."

"I'm just so tired! I couldn't have slept well without you by my side… it feels so alien to me…" she drifted.

"Well I'm here now so just relax I'll enjoy hugging into my wife."

"I missed you…" she said barely conscious.

"I missed you too." He said kissing her forehead genuinely concerned for her. "try to get another half hour okay? Then you can put on a pretty dress for the party."

But it was already too late she had slipped back into her slumber.

Gilbert managed to wake her 35 minutes later, he gently reassured her of her beauty despite the short amount of time she had left herself to get ready and watched her as she did her hair.

"I better get downstairs so it can seem like my bride is coming down into that orchard." He said smiling "you know how Avonlea likes their dramatics." He said with a grin kissing into her hair putting his hand on her shoulder. "But you'd never guess that you aren't a real bride today." He said memorised by her. "You are radiant my love," he smiled at her through the reflection in the mirror "are you sure we are married?"

She laughed and brought her hand up to meet his. "Yes Gil, we are most definitely married, and I've treasured each moment of being your wife."

"As I have, being your husband." He took a sigh, "I'd still be stuck in that hospital if it wasn't for you." He said with a chuckle. He walked towards the door "emergency rooms and surgeries…" he opened the door and went through before shutting it she heard "… on call…"

Anne made her way down the stairs and onto the veranda where she found Gilbert waiting for her.

"Why am I all of a sudden nervous?" Anne asked him.

He chuckled. "All the opinions of Avonlea are open to us. It could be at worse…" he trailed thinking "Mrs Lynde ten times over, or it could be at best my ma's reaction."

As they turned the corner to the old orchard a round of clapping broke out. They both looked at their close friends and family. No, the whole of Avonlea wasn't invited but those who meant the most were there.

The old orchard was formally decorated with the natural flowers of green gables and the tables were formally set out. The orchard big enough for both the formal area and the socialising area to be defined, Anne and Gilbert couldn't have asked for it to be more beautiful.

After Marilla greeted them wishing them to have a lovely day first to greet them was Charlie.

"Gil." He said with a smile to him almost ignoring Anne's presence.

"Charlie." Gil replied shaking his head then a clap on the back of a man hug. "Its been too long."

"I'd say old man, running off to Kingsport and staying there, why you would want to…" Charlie said confused. "You finally got the girl." He gave a half glance at Anne, which wasn't only noticed by both Anne and Gilbert but also Mrs Sloane. "Your persistence paid off." He said looking back at Gilbert.

"Some things are worth the wait." Gilbert said with a smile, putting his arm around Anne then looked directly at Mrs Sloane "As I'm sure you are aware with your lovely lady." He said to her. "How are you?" he asked her.

"I'm doing well thank you Gilbert." She said looking to him. "It's a shame you couldn't make it back for the wedding I know Charlie wanted you as best man."

"I was snowed under with a ridiculous amount of exams." Gilbert said with a smile to her. "Second year was by far the hardest year to accomplish anything. But we all know how that worked for me." He said changing the subject "What about you and the little ones?" he asked. "How many of those lovely children do you have again, three isn't it?" he asked.

"Three girls yes." Mrs Sloane smiled. "We just found out we're expecting another." She said in a low tone.

Gilbert's smiled widened. "Well congratulations!" he said jubilantly. "That's simply splendid!"

Anne smiled sweetly at Mrs Sloane. "Yes that's wonderful, do you know how far along you are?" she asked.

"about twelve weeks." Mrs Sloane smiled. "So apparently the most trying time is over."

"here's hoping for a boy." Charlie said with a wink to Gilbert. Gilbert looked confused for a moment at Charlie.

Anne blushed for his sake and turned to his wife again. "I'm sure girl or boy, a baby is a blessing isn't it?" there was a marked silence before Anne looked to Charlie "Charlie?!" she said looking at him perplexed.

"what? Oh…" he looked to his wife "erm sure, sure, any child." He said a bit too quickly after what was the marked silence. Charlie then went back to addressing Gilbert "What about you two? Any signs of the pitter patter of tiny feet yet?" he teased.

"Give us time old man!" Gilbert defended. "Give us time…"

"won't you excuse us, we have a lot of guests to get round." Anne said blushing again.

They looked at each other as they walked away "Is that what people are to be asking all day?" Anne asked him.

"Come on Anne, we want kids." He said with a grin.

"Yes but I wasn't planning on sharing our family planning plans with half of Avonlea." She whispered back.

"Well maybe we should slip out a little later and try and shorten the enquiry time." He said with a wink as she grinned then laughed with a blush. "How do you like that proposal Mrs Blythe?" he said lowly. "Mrs Irving! How lovely to see you!" he said out loud greeting their next guest.

Half an hour later Anne looked over to a quiet corner of the orchard where she found Josie standing quietly. Anne smiled and made her way over to her.

"Josie." She smiled acknowledging her and giving her a hug. "You made it."

Josie smiled nervously. "I wasn't expecting for it to be like this, you always seemed to want…" Josie trailed not sure it would be offensive.

"Something more extravagant?" Anne finished with a smile.

"I didn't mean it as an insult." Josie said shaking her head.

"No its okay. After all it was me who talked about castle in the sky and rich melancholy princes coming to sweep me off my feet." Anne giggled at her past fancies. "No this, this is just perfect, all the people we love all in one place being married to someone who is actually right for me." She said.

"Well if you had bothered asking any of us we could have told you that!" Josie said to her.

"Oh, people told me alright." Anne said looking at her husband regretfully. "I never should have…" she paused in a far off land where she said 'yes' the first time he asked her. What could have happened what should have been between them. All those dances she had gone with Roy to where Gil had been. They could have danced the night away in each other's arms. She could have been the one spending time with Gilbert between classes every moment instead of that Christine! The long distance love letters while he was at medical school , whenever he was on holiday from school the sweet murmurs they could have whispered to each other, how happy it could have made him to be loved. She took a sigh. "Come and join in the party Josie, there's plenty of the old gang here today, I'm sure they would like to catch up with you."

"Oh I don't know…" Josie said as Anne took her by the arm and put her in the middle of the social session with Moody, Charlie, Diana, Jane, Pricilla (Phil also was there able to adapt herself to any social group being as charming as ever) and Gilbert.

Anne put her arm around her husband. He looked down proudly and put his arm around her. "You know that I love you don't you?" Anne asked him quietly as the rest of the group chatted.

"Of course I know it." He whispered with a smile. "You must have figured out by now how much I love you."

"I've always known it." She answered. "But I have always." She said looking at him.

He smiled again and looked concerned. "I know sweetheart." He kissed her on the forehead then pulled her away from the group. "Where has this came from?" he asked her.

"it should have been you all along and I… I messed it up!" she said almost in tears. "I could have been the one with you at all those dances what Roy took me to, I could have been the one to see you between classes instead of Christine…" she trailed.

"I told you there was never anything between Christine and I, we were only ever friends." He said quietly holding her in.

"Maybe not on your side, I know when a woman is flirting with a man." She said going serious.

"Anne Blythe you listen to me." He told her. "It was only ever going to be you, if I couldn't have you there could be no one else and you know what else I know?" he asked her.

"What?" she asked him looking to her feet.

"I know the real reason you rejected Roy." He smirked smugly. "Even if I was just a little part of that decision…"

"You were the reason." She said quietly.

"I know! We're together right here and right now, that's all that matters." He kissed her lightly. "You have made me the happiest man on earth since I saw you again and every day keeps on getting better and better and I am a better man for loving you." He tipped her head up and looked into her eyes "don't forget love, I was running away from my feelings too, we're both so very stubborn on what we think… what we believe is best for us, when we can't see what's actually happening in front of us. I think we both need nudging into reality sometimes." He admitted. "But I love you for it."

They leaned in to kiss when they heard "hey." Diana called over to them "can't keep away from each other for ten minutes can you." She waved them back over. Anne and Gilbert looked to each other and smiled sweetly before going back and joining the rest of the group.


	13. Chapter 13

Yes you all saw that didn't you? The little hints she was showing very early signs of pregnancy. Well yes she is and they are about to find out too...

* * *

Something about it had made her go running to the washroom. The sounds coming from in there weren't very encouraging. I stand at the door (as she locked it going in) waiting for her to immerge. She eventually comes out and sees me there, she hugs into me.

"I must have a stomach bug." She says to me.

I nod in acknowledgement "Well you have the best care available." I tell her I wrap her in my arms and take her up to our bed in my old room. "Just rest sweetheart. You don't need to worry, I'll be here." I tell her. She asks me to hold her as she goes to sleep, I can't help but comply with her wishes.

I can't help but worry. It hasn't been quite like this, she hasn't been sick before but I notice even for her, she's eating less, saying she's full before she should be, some foods she just won't touch and its not normally that she doesn't like them, she eats whatever she is given, she learnt that the hard way, unlike the rest of us!

She softly starts to regularly breathe. I know she is asleep now. I don't want to move though so I reach over her and read the book by our bedside. It's an old favourite for both of us, so it doesn't matter if I start over or read ahead we'll just pick up where we last stopped. I don't read for long when there's a soft knock on the door. Its my mother.

"Is everything okay? Did I cook something she doesn't like? She doesn't have to eat it you can tell her that." My mother panics.

"No ma, its not that, Anne will eat pretty much anything normally, she thinks she has a tummy bug is all." I say to my mother, "I'm sure she'll be over it in a few days."

"If you're certain Gilbert, but is that her self-diagnosis or yours as a doctor?" she asks me.

"Oh." I said. "I never considered that." I say with a chuckle. "Oh Ma, its just I trust her instincts so much I don't think to question them."

"I'm sure she's right." My mother says with a look on her face which means she doesn't quite believe what she is being told, I know that look, I got it many times when I got into scrapes as a boy, I inherited that look of doubt on my face when I don't quite believe something. But she respectively leaves the room.

Why would my mother doubt what was being said? I search my memory for any signs over the last week, (since the party to celebrate our wedding) for any reason for her to doubt what Anne had said.

She had been tired that day, of the party, I know she took a nap I briefly had interrupted. But, come to think of it, it had been a pattern, she had been tired a lot, taking less walks and when we did she would often nap on my lap as we sat on the ground. Don't get me wrong it was nice to have her so close after all the walks we used to take and she would push me away, but all the same, it was quite unusual for her to be tired, tired. She never used to get tired.

What else? I wondered.

Headaches, she complained a little about having headaches which is unlike her, it's a good bit quieter at Blythe farm but poor Davy seemed to have to walk on tender foot in front of her. She said it must be due to lack of fresh air… but that couldn't be true, we'd been out walking loads.

I start to add them and a couple of other things together, trying to imagine away from my emotional attachment to Anne what would I be diagnosing her with if I had been her doctor.

I freeze for a moment as one of the answers ran through my head.

Pregnancy.

It was the most likely… we haven't exactly been shy of it.

I gasp as my lungs need air. Is my wife carrying my babe in her womb? Is it possible? We've only been married five weeks… but of course… it only takes once… I saw enough unwanted pregnancies at the hospital to know that. Only this one isn't unwanted. Won't ever be unwanted! We both wanted a family. Are we already on that first step? My heart is racing my mind is going at 100 miles an hour, then it stops.

I don't even have a practice yet! How am I going to provide for Anne and a little one? We can't keep living in our families homes, especially not now!

I remind myself to slow down, I mean this is only one possibility after all. Should I share my suspicions to my wife once she wakes?

Its her body this is happening to, she's going to need to know so she doesn't think she is sick.

Alright okay. You know what I'm going to do, I'm going to ask her if I can do a physical on her to check it is just a sickness bug and I'll do all the tests for pregnancy while I'm at it.

Yes that's the logical thing to do. I settle back down, part of me is so excited I can barely contain myself. Less than twelve weeks ago this was impossible to me. It was happening so quickly! The strange thing is normally I would freak out at this stage and demand everything go slower.

Truth is: I don't want it to.

* * *

I wake as I feel another wave of nausea hit me, somehow Gilbert is there with a bowl and cloth, he gently rubs my back reassuring me I'm okay. He quickly leaves and clears out the bowl, bringing it back with him, he insists on holding me close to him though I ask him not to, if he got this stomach bug he would know why.

"Anne, sweetheart, can I do a physical for you? Just to confirm your stomach bug."

I don't know why he thinks a physical is necessary, but I agree to it. He can be a lot more physical with me I suppose he's not shy of it anymore. I remember back to the first time he had been my doctor. The way he held my arm, it had sent butterflies up my arm! He was so incredibly gentle with me something I notice he has retained. His hands sweep over me sending shivers over my body in delight.

"This may seem really personal Anne considering but trust me, I have a purpose for doing it." He says to me gently.

"okay." I comply mere seconds before his hand sweeps over my breast. My back arches my heart beat increases but they feel so sensitive I slap his hands away for the first time. "What does that have to do with my tummy bug?!" I snap at him, not really meaning to.

He sit back letting go of me completely. One hand raised over his mouth his eyes shut on me, what was the matter with him! "it's not a tummy bug Anne." He tells me as he trembles.

I've never seen him tremble before. What was wrong? Was I dying? I should have known this was all too beautiful to be real? I should have known this happiness was fleeting and now I was paying for the brief joy I had felt in being Gilbert's wife. "Am I dying?" I ask him outright.

He looks at me with tears in his eyes, but not sad one, sort of like the tears he shed when we had made love for the first time. No, he wasn't sad, he was undeniably happy! "No my love, far from it." He tells me finally. "I think your condition is due to the very opposite, not only are you alive and well…" he trailed his breath couldn't seem to keep up with him "…but so is the life which you hold within you."

I still up and look at him in disbelief. Surely he can't mean… "Gil? Are you in earnest?!" I ask him my heart racing my hand subconsciously holding my stomach.

"Indeed I am, my diagnosis Mrs Blythe is that within you, you hold the beginnings of the next generation of Blythe's!"

"No, no… that's not possible!" I exclaim barely understanding my own emotions.

He laughs. "Anne! How do you think it gets there! Of course it is possible! We've been at it enough!"

"But…" I trail.

"Anne, you're pregnant!" he tells me straight.

"I'm pregnant!" I repeat in an ecstatic whisper. "Are you sure?!" I ask him.

He reels off his thoughts to me. "…We'll have to keep an eye out of course, it could be a false alarm, but that is what everything is pointing to." He pauses. "we've been married longer then 28 days and we've not had to rest for…" he trials trying to put it politely "womanly cycles." He blushes, "Are you late?" he asks me.

"I hadn't really thought about it to be honest." I tell him straight "but yes, yes I am." I pause "Do we have to tell people yet?" I ask him.

"Well, it's usually a bad idea this early on in pregnancy, I mean as much as I hate to think it of my own child the risk of miscarriage is higher until after the first 12 week, I think we're only a third of the way there." He pauses to think "having said that, I think my mother might suspect that you are. Her questioning me over your condition is the only thing that got me thinking as a doctor rather than a husband."

"Oh let's not, let's just fob it off as me not feeling well and fake me getting better, please Gil I want it to be our secret for a little while yet."

He smiles at me and nods his head "fine with me!" he replies. We embrace closely holding each other close. "Anne?" he questions me. "Are you feeling up to…? Don't feel like you have to say yes." He asks shyly.

I smile coyly at him. "I suppose just once won't hurt." I tell him.

I can see the excitement in his eyes as he removes his trousers quickly he kisses into me, "I can't explain why this is such a turn on!" he whispers to me.

I smile back into his embrace. 'Oh I think I can!' I think to myself.

* * *

A few days later Anne was feeling better so Gilbert arranged for them to go up to the Glen with Anne, he decided taking Anne with him was probably the best idea, the travelling by horse and carriage would be best for her stomach and the easiest to stop if they needed to. Plus he would be staying overnight a couple of nights as the journey was long at least he would have Anne with him.

"Uncle Dave said I could go round with him if I liked, to see if a practice measures up to my expectation. Maybe if his patients are willing I could have a go." He told Anne as they started on their journey. Gilbert had her wrapped up in a blanket and brought pilliows for her to make her comfortable, he gently held her round her back hugging her close to him.

"I'm sure they'll come to trust you, especially when they find you've been working as such a high up surgeon for the last two years." She said to him. She smiled at him "besides I never had any complaints." She told him

He smiled broadly. "You're bias Mrs Blythe."

"Maybe." She told him. "A little."

They smiled and hugged into each other to start the journey.

Both their bodies were weary by the time they reached The Glen but had a welcome which was warm and lovely.

"Uncle Dave." Gilbert said with a smile as he stopped the buggy. He jumped down and gave his Uncle a hug.

"Congratulations Gil." He said with a smile. "Its taken long enough to say it to you." He said looking at his Great-Nephew. "aren't you going to introduce me to your bride?"

Gilbert ran to the buggy and held out his hand to Anne helping her down from the buggy. He guided her over to his Uncle. "Anne, this is my Uncle Dave, Uncle Dave, this is my Mrs Anne Blythe." He said beaming at his wife.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Doctor Blythe." Anne said bringing her hand out to shake his hand. Anne looked at Gilbert's great uncle, she could certainly see the family resemblance, although now turning grey she could see the dark hair and deep dark eyes which twinkled with humour, and that twisted little mouth of his!

He chuckled. "no need to be so formal with me, its Uncle Dave if you like?"

Anne smiled "if you like, Uncle Dave then."

"What about you? Am I to call you Mrs Blythe?" he said turning them towards they house they slowly walked up to it.

Anne blushed slightly. "Honestly I'm still not used to it, people ask to speak to Mrs Blythe meaning me I automatically look around for Gilbert's mother."

"It must take some taking used to." Gilbert said not really having thought about it before.

"I think Beth* had the same problem." Uncle Dave admitted. "You get used to it, eventually."

"Oh Gilbert!" His Aunt Beth came running out the house. "Oh you are getting more and more handsome as the years go by."

He blushed slightly and hugged into his Aunt. "Aunt Beth." He said sweetly. "I'll be turning thirty soon, it's supposed to be all downhill from there."

She laughed lightly "I don't think there's such a thing for Blythe men."

"neither the women they choose to marry." He charmed his Aunt.

She blushed lightly "And, there's the Blythe charm!" she laughed. "Oh you must be Anne, our nephew and his wife has told us so much about you." She said hugging her.

"Its lovely to meet you Mrs Blythe." Anne said again politely.

"Oh don't bother with all that its Elizabeth, well Beth for you, All this Mrs Blythe-ing gets confusing when there more than one of us don't you think? Now do you go by Anne? Not Anna or Annie or Nan or Nana."

"yes. Anne it's definitely definitely Anne. " she said.

"Or Cordelia, or Geraldine." Gilbert whispered to his wife.

Anne smiled.

"What did you say dear?" His Aunt Beth asked him.

"Oh nothing, sorry." Gilbert said. "Personal joke."

They got to the house where they all entered. "It's funny that you should know each other for most your lives and only now get together in such a rush."

"It should have happened a long time ago." Anne said with a hint of regret in her voice.

"It's happened now, that's all that's important." Gilbert said.

Beth wasn't sure what she had stumbled across there. "I agree." She took a breath "but from what I understand you two both have had successful careers all on your own. That's quite the way to experience life."

"Anne was a principle in two separate schools one of them a private school in Kingsport." He boasted. "and she's had several pieces of work published over the years. I'm lucky she kept them, it meant I got to read them, she's a fine writer."

Anne was blushing "Gil, please don't boast." She asked him quietly as they sat down.

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked her. "I'm proud of you."

Anne smiled at him sweetly with a small tear in her eye.

"Well I'm just glad you found someone to your liking." Uncle Dave said. "It's a hard enough feat to accomplish." He looked to Anne "And my nephew is to your liking too." He said with a smile.

"It's a long journey are you both okay?" Beth asked them.

"Nothing a good nights sleep won't cure us of." Gilbert answered.

"and a good meal." His Uncle John said.

"see now there's the Blythe's answer to everything." Beth smiled.

"Amen to that." Gilbert smiled.

* * *

 ***We don't have a name for Mrs John Blythe or Mrs Dave Blythe combine Mrs Anne Blythe into this I thought there was far too many Mrs Blythe's swimming around. I didn't want to give Mrs John Blythe a name I always feel Montgomery had plenty of scope to do it and she didn't I don't see why I should think I should, however Mrs Dave Blythe was minor enough I can understand why she didn't think of a first name for her so I made it up**


	14. Chapter 14

The next day was left for Anne and Gilbert to rest it had been a long drive, they did go for a short walk down to four winds light house. The next day came Beth took Anne into town to show her around her possible new town while the Doctor Blythe's went on the rounds.

"What do you think of the Glen Anne?" Beth asked her.

"Oh its lovely!" Anne said with a smile. "It's a lot like Avonlea in some ways, just these small town stores and feel to it you know, some places are just too built up, there's something snug, friendly and imitate about small towns don't you think?"

Beth smiled. "Yes I do. Dave always said the Glen reminded him of Avonlea, though we don't get the chance to go back half as much as we would like." She sighed, and looked at Anne who looked wide eyed at her she laughed "oh its not all bad!" she continued to look at Anne as Anne looked away "plus, you get to make a few medical diagnoses yourself you know the symptoms so well." She said knowingly.

"Oh?" Anne commented. "Yes I suppose you would." She said recognising the hint in her voice but daring not take up on it. She liked Beth a great deal, she seemed a kindred spirit. Even so, she wanted so desperately to feel even if people suspected, she wanted with Gilbert to be the only ones in the knowledge for now. Their secret, just theirs, it wasn't anyone else's to share. Not yet anyway.

Beth smiled and decided to leave it. She had her suspicions last night, this morning Anne seemed out of spirits until they had left the house, she was sure… she could be wrong, but she was sure.

"You know there's a lovely house over the Glen which is up for sale, Mrs Morgan is looking to move to Vancover to be with her children, its strange such a lovely house hasn't been snatched up, would you like to go and view it Anne? I'm sure Mrs Morgan will be happy to show us around?"

"I don't know if such a decision should be made without Gilbert present." She said dreamily.

"Well no decisions have to be made and I'm sure Mrs Morgan would welcome Gilbert to look round it if you fancy it." She smiled at Anne "You know how Blythe men look to our opinions, it would give the place a strong pull for him if you made up your mind to like it."

Anne smiled. "Alright, I suppose it would make sense to view the house first, and see how it might suit us. Is it far?" She asked.

"No not at all, perfectly suited for a young doctor and his wife, and plenty of rooms for any possible future children." Beth looked to Anne.

Anne smiled. "Oh yes, we want children make no mistake about that." Anne laughed.

"I'm glad to hear it, the good Lord didn't bless us with any, and Aunt Mary has an opinion on everything yet has never experienced anything! I'm afraid it leaves the good name of Blythe in your hands." She smiled. "So how many?"

Anne laughed further "Oh I don't know, as many as we can fit in, we're hardly young anymore. But then my best friend married young enough I suppose is only onto baby number three. I suppose it depends on the circumstances and temperament of the couple. Though I think Gilbert would have a football team if he could." Her eyes lit a little "tell me of the house? Is it cozy? Does it have trees and a brook?"

"No brook though there is one close by just out the bounds of the house. But dryads there are trees! Beautiful flowers and the house is so well kept, it had a good family take care of it. Tons of personality."

"Plenty of scope for the imagination?" Anne asked.

"Oh certainly." Beth agreed. "Come on I'll show you it."

* * *

…"One of them even trusted the Blythe name enough to let me make the diagnoses." Gilbert laughed "I was so nervous, especially with an experienced doctor and my uncle right there next to me I felt like I was in rounds again at med school!"

"You shouldn't be so worried Gilbert, you make a fine doctor, you should see the way everyone took to him Anne you would be proud." Dave told her.

"Oh I already am, I saw the doctor in him at Kingsport, I don't doubt his bedside manner at all, I've experienced it first hand."

"That's right, that's how you two met up again." Beth smiled.

"I hated that broken arm for about 2 hours before I saw my doctor, then I could never be as glad as I was to see Gilbert again."

"Right back at you." He smiled.

"so would you like it here in the Glen Gilbert?" Beth asked him.

"Yes I think so, Uncle Dave really does cover a large area." Gilbert admitted. He looked to Anne nervously. "What about you Anne? Would you like it?"

Anne laughed at his nervousness. "Why yes, I think I would. It seems simply a charming place and reminds me of home." She took a deep breath, "Speaking of homes, I think I may have found the perfect place for us Gilbert, if you are interested?"

"Oh really? Your day has been productive!" he said with a smile.

"Would it be anything else?" Anne laughed, "if you like I can show you it tomorrow, I think it's perfectly situated for us, as your Aunt suspected."

"Well I'll wait with bated breath, if two Blythe women agree on something I would hate to disagree." He said with a teasing smile to them both.

* * *

Anne took Gilbert to the old Morgan house the next day. Mrs Morgan seemed happy that the house was getting the attention it deserved, especially by such a young and handsome couple as the new Doctor and Mrs Blythe! Such good family connections too! She walked the garden as the couple went inside to look, Anne leading him to the parlour

"Oh Gilbert isn't it lovely, an open health fire just as you always wanted!" she smiled.

Gilbert looked around practically. "Big enough for a family to sit in small enough to remain as cosy, it's very well situated too, looking out to that garden!"

"Oh do you like it? I thought you might, there's lots of places within the garden walls for our children to explore, even more so when they are outside, there's a brook with a pond which you can see from the loft windows… yes! You hear loft windows! And there's a valley close by, I think they call it Rainbow Valley! And right down that track path is the sea Gilbert you can see the lighthouse too!"

Gilbert smiled. "Its very nice. Do we have place for a dining room and a study?" Gilbert said going serious again.

Anne broke into a grin. "Come and see, you'll love it all!" Anne said dragging him into the dining room. "Isn't it lovely? Like a mini mansion!" she said as she saw him looking in the dining room.

"Room for a large table, could easily sit twelve I think." He replied. "Not bad lighting either. The sun will set through the window, wouldn't that be something? Sitting to supper and watching as the sun goes down?" he said with a grin to his wife.

She pulled him to the next room. "I thought this could be your study. I know its not huge but…"

Gilbert broke into a grin "it's perfect Anne. Could easily fit in bookcases along this wall and a desk, and right here, the sun will be warm against my back that way." He smiled.

Anne blushed. "Do you like it so far?" she asked him. He nodded. "Wait until you see the pantry!" Anne said excitedly. "Marilla would love a pantry as big as this one!"

He was pulled happily into the kitchen as he noted just how large it was then looked in the pantry himself. "More space to spoil your children with, fill it with cherry pies, Apple crumbles, chesses and meats…" he said with a smile, "Won't you get lost in this kitchen?" he asked.

Anne laughed, "Oh yes I shall but won't it be perfect? I could even have the children in here with me teaching them to cook, even the boys!" Anne laughed. Gilbert caught his breath at this. "What is it?" Anne asked. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked him

"No." He admitted. "It's what you said which was extremely right." He emphasised. "Children!" he said holding her in his arms. "More than one then?"

"I know you wanted more than one!" Anne said with a smile looked down as he gently stroked her stomach.

"I do." He admitted, "Quite right." He paused before continuing. "It a privilege to have one child growing in you… imagine if there were more!"

Anne smiled and looked at him, "You don't mind your boys knowing how to cook then?" she asked him.

He laughed "No, of course not, will do them some good to be able to help in the kitchen every once in a while!" he said with a laugh, "they'll cook and dance and have vivid imaginations if I have my way." He smirked a little "they'll be able to woo all the girls that way."

"Is that how you wooed me?" Anne laughed.

He shrugged "I had a few more tricks up my sleeve for you." He laughed. "so how many bedrooms? Did you say it has a cellar too?" he asked.

"Come on I'll show you!" Anne said taking his hand again.

* * *

"There was a deal to be done in the end, Mrs Morgan was desperate to go and join her son in Vancouver, it almost dries up my savings but Anne has enough for starter furniture…" Gilbert explained when they got back to Avonlea to his mother.

"So you'll be settling there?" Mrs Blythe asked him.

He nodded, "it'll be perfect for us I think." He admitted.

"Sixty miles away." His mother said with a tender heart. She felt like she had just got back her son now he was going away again.

"Good roads of sixty miles, you can come and visit whenever you and papa like." Gilbert said wrapping his arm around his mother. "Anne and I have every intention on coming back to Avonlea as often as life will let us and you know fine well once there are your grandbabies involved you'll come and visit and not care its 60 miles away." Gilbert said with a smile.

"Do you mean to tell me you actually intend on having some?" Mrs Blythe asked.

Gilbert took a sigh. He hated lying, even half lies were bad. "One day in the near future." He admitted. "Of course we want babies."

Mrs Blythe sighed "well at least it's on Island, which is all I can hope for after the past few years."

Gilbert took a sigh "Ah ma, you know I never intended on staying away so long." He said quietly.

"And if Anne hadn't brought you back would you have come back Gilbert?" She asked him for the first time being direct in it.

"Probably not." He said sadly. "All my hopes and my dreams were wrapped up so neatly here, I was scared that if I came back, I would never forgive myself for digging up old feelings." He sighed. "Can't you see ma? I dared to dream as a boy because of Anne, I'm daring to dream again…" he trailed then said quietly "…because of her."

His mother smiled "yes I know it and I'm glad, just don't be a stranger again." She said warmly to him.

He looked down into his mother's hazel eyes, something he had inherited from her. "I promise." He whispered then gathered her in his arms for another hug.

* * *

"Well, Doctor and Mrs Blythe that's the last of it." Mr Blythe said as he loaded the last of their belongings onto the buggy less than a month later. "everything else is already there."

He looked to his son and gave him one last man hug "You take care of yourself, and that wife of yours." He told him.

"Yes papa, course I will."

"I can't believe how kind everyone has been, I don't think we'll NEED to buy much immediately!" Anne said with a blush to her mother in law and Marilla who had come down to Blythe farm to see them off.

"We do it because we love you." Marilla said to her. "Both of you." She said with a call to Gilbert.

"I feel the luckiest women alive!" Anne admitted. "I missed my first opportunity with Gilbert and God fated for a second chance." She looked to Marilla then to Mrs Blythe "I won't squander it, I promise."

"We have no doubt about it." Mrs Blythe smiled at her daughter in law.

Gilbert made his way to his wife's side before he wrapped his arm around her, "Taking about opportunities…" Gilbert said with a smile, "Our second chance gave us the chance for something greater then ourselves."

"Oh?" Marilla asked.

Anne took a breath, "I'm about two months gone, the next generation of Blythe's are on their way!" she broke excitingly.

A thrilled shriek came from Mrs Blythe as she pounced on Anne holding her again. "Oh Anne!" She exclaimed. "Gilbert!" she said holding him close to her. "My boy a father!" she exclaimed hugging into him.

Anne looked over to Marilla who, although looked shocked had tears in her eyes. "Marilla?" she said going over and putting her arms around the women she regarded as her mother. "Aren't you happy for us? I know its very soon but…"

"Don't think I'm not happy Anne." She said quietly to her. She held her round her face "everything is how it should be, how God intended it." She told her. She lowered her voice "I just don't express it the same way is all."

Anne looked and smiled at Marilla. "Tell me, you will let them call you Grandma Marilla? I know you never wanted me to call you…" Anne trailed.

"Its not because I don't love you." She said so quietly only Anne heard.

"I know." Anne said to her. "I couldn't have asked for a better example of a mother." Anne told her softly. "Come and visit…" Anne told her, "often."

Marilla simply smiled and nodded.

"You best be heading off." John told them "You don't want to be traveling still come sundown."

Gilbert took his wife by the hand and looked to her. He gently helped her onto the buggy. He turned to his parents one last time and hugged them, "I won't be so long this time." He said to them "I promise." They smiled at his promise.

"He has a wife to make sure he carries through with it too this time." Anne said to them as Gilbert hugged them goodbye.

* * *

"Anne, come on sweetheart you can do this push!" he told her directly.

They had been settled for seven months in the Glen, Anne had happily called their little home "Ingleside" so warm and welcoming, something which Gilbert happened to agree with.

At this moment Gilbert was playing the role of doctor husband and father all rolled into one.

"I can't, Gil I'm tired I can't do it anymore!" she cried. "Tell him I can't!" She said looking to the other doctor Blythe who had come to assist in the birth.

" 'friad to tell you Anne you can do it sweetheart." Uncle Dave Blythe confirmed.

"yes you can!" he told her "you can do this Anne, just a little more I almost have their head in my hands we're nearly there." He told her gently. He looked up at her "you're ready for this." He told her gently.

Those last few pushes were the hardest but the sweetest for Anne when she heard the new-born whimper of her child. Gilbert held the baby in his arms.

"Anne! Oh Anne!" he almost whispered. "It's a girl!" he said looking down at his daughter as he did he saw Anne's wide grey eyes look up at him. He took breath as tears weld in his eyes. For the second time in his life he had fallen in love at first sight. The first had been with Anne the second with this wee child he held so close to him now. He was in love!

He swept up close to Anne placing the babe in her arms. "Anne look at her she's perfect." He said equally as quietly as his Uncle worked in the background to clean up the bedroom. The only things left untouched were the towels and sheets under Anne.

Anne looked at the baby in her arms. "Oh Gilbert! Our baby! Ours! Look what perfection we made!" she said weakly. Gilbert looked to his wife, he could tell she was weary but he also knew he would never get her to sleep now she had the baby in her arms. Tears fell from Gilbert's eyes "Gil? Are you not happy? Is she going to be okay? Why are you crying?" she asked all at once.

"She's perfect Anne, she's going to be fine, I'm crying from happiness again." He said looking to his wife. "Its not even been a year since you came back to me." He said quietly welling up again "look at what you have done!" he said happily.

"What we have done." Anne smiled. "I couldn't have done this alone!" Anne joked. She looked to her child, "How appropriate then, the name we have chosen. Isn't it perfect for her?" she asked him.

"Joyce Blythe." He said looking to his baby again. "Our Joy."

"Oh go and get Marilla so she can meet our wee babe." Anne said gently almost closing her eyes.

"You need to rest sweet lady." He told his wife. "Try and sleep a while, we can tell Marilla at sunrise, it's only a couple of hours away. Marilla will understand you need to sleep."

"but I'm not tired." Anne objected. Gilbert smiled and came slipped into bed beside her.

"Then let's just take some time together as a family. Just to get acquainted with each other before we share this with others." He said quietly holding his girls in his arms.

"Okay." Anne agreed. Naturally as all was quiet and still in the silence of night all three Blythe's fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

I can't believe this is the last chapter! Again maybe I'll do some other chapters or one shots of this universe after my babe is born but not before... This seems like the right place for it to end... I never intended on it being as long as this! Thanks again for all your lovely comments and support! It's much appreciated!


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